


The Study of You

by quill_and_ink



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bottom Alec Lightwood, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Drama, Eventual Smut, First Time, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Light Angst, M/M, Porn with Feelings, The author has zero chill, Top Magnus Bane, can't stop won't stop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-24 17:45:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 86,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20710025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quill_and_ink/pseuds/quill_and_ink
Summary: From the moment he was born, Alec Lightwood had been raised to follow in his parents' footsteps and expectations. Be a star athlete, earn straight As, boost the family's reputation by volunteering and being seen in the community, and continue the Lightwood legacy of attending Alicante University. But life doesn't always go as planned, and sometimes fate throws a wrench into things... For Alec, that wrench has impeccable style and a smirk that damn near stops Alec's heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because the thing we all need is another "Magnus and Alec are college students" AU! Let's roll with it because I can't get this idea out of my head.
> 
> Rated Explicit for eventual smut. More tags/characters to come as the story progresses. I hopeeeee to update this weekly, but life has a tendency to happen, so don't throw rocks if it's a bit longer than weekly.
> 
> I own none of these characters. I just like to borrow them from time to time to play. Unbetaed, all errors are mine. Comments and kudos are eternally loved and appreciated! <3

"All right, good hustle out there today. A few more practices like that and we'll be in good shape for the game next weekend. Now, get your sorry asses off the field before your professors send me emails bitching about your attendance before classes even start!"

Coach Starkweather's booming voice echoed over to Alec like a message sent straight from the angels above, and he flopped onto the ground, closing his eyes as he fought to catch his breath. Practice had started that morning at five o'clock, just as hints of pink and orange were beginning to tint the sky. Judging by how high the sun was at this point, it had to be mid-morning at least and Alec's muscles were screaming at him.

"Let's go, dude. I don't want to listen to Maryse flip if you miss the first class of the semester," came a voice from above him. Alec opened one eye, squinting up at his adopted brother as Jace nudged at his thigh with a muddy cleat while tilting his water bottle back to take a deep drink.

"She won't know if you don't tell her," Alec pointed out, closing his eye again. Jace barked out a laugh.

"Oh, she has her ways, you and I both know that," he responded, chuckling. A stream of water suddenly landed on Alec's face and he abruptly sat up, sputtering and wiping at his eyes.

"_God_, I hate you," he muttered, glaring up at Jace even as he grasped his brother's outstretched hand, allowing himself to be hauled to his feet with a groan.

"You knew we had practice this morning. Why the fuck did you go as hard as you did at the gym last night?" Jace asked as the two of them trailed after the rest of the football team towards the locker rooms. Alec shrugged.

"Go hard or go home, right? I want to be in the best shape I can be if I'm starting this season," Alec told him, wincing at the twinging muscle in his hamstring.

"You need to learn limits, bro. Going hard is great until you fuck something up and get sidelined until it heals."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't jinx me," Alec retorted, sighing as they entered the relative coolness of the locker rooms. He scraped a hand over his face, grimacing at the layer of grime and sweat caked to his skin as he opened his locker and grabbed his towel. He tapped his phone to check the time and swore under his breath. Practice had run long and he now had just under forty-five minutes to shower, head back across campus to pick up his backpack, and grab something to eat from the dining commons before making it to class.

He showered quickly and yanked on his jeans and a New York Yankees t-shirt before waving a quick goodbye to Jace as he hurried out of the locker room. Jace was right - his mother would kill him if he missed the first class of his sophomore year; grumbling a bit to himself, Alec picked up the pace, his gym bag bouncing off his hip as he jogged halfway across campus, slowing only when his hamstring tightened painfully. He gritted his teeth at his idiocy as he settled back into a brisk walk marred by a slight limp. He'd pulled the muscle a month before returning to school, but, terrified he'd be told he wouldn't be able to play, he hid the injury, hoping it would go away on its own. A dumbass move, but the starting quarterback had graduated and Alec was next in line. This was his time to shine and he wouldn't let anything get in his way.

From the moment he was born, Alec Lightwood had been raised to follow in his parents' footsteps and expectations. Be a star athlete, earn straight As, boost the family's reputation by volunteering and being seen in the community, and continue the Lightwood legacy of attending Alicante University.

Robert and Maryse Lightwood's expectations were sky high and, as the eldest, he was expected to perform at even higher standards than his siblings. Alec knew this and he constantly pushed himself further and harder to make his parents proud. He thrived in making his parents proud and he bent over backwards to be the best he could be.

The hours of studying, endless football practices, the sleepless nights, it all paid off the day he was accepted to Alicante. His parents had been thrilled when he signed the paperwork and sent off the deposit, especially since he had been recruited to join the football team to play quarterback. It was the perfect moment for Alec, surrounded by his parents, his sister Isabelle, Jace, and his youngest brother, Max, made all that much better since Jace was signing right along with him.

He had made it through freshman year relatively unscathed and had returned for a sophomore year that he was determined to make even better. He just hoped this injury wouldn't be the thing to derail all of his plans.

Alec hiked his heavy gym bag further onto his shoulder as he hurried across campus, glancing down at his phone to check the time again. He pushed his hand through his curls, still damp from his shower, and wiped his hand on his shirt. He inhaled deeply, the cool breeze dancing across his skin refreshing after the morning workout, and he glanced around at the undergraduates lounging around the quad as he walked along. Suddenly, his legs screeched to a halt on their own accord as his eyes froze on a clump of students stretched out in the shade of a large oak tree, his jaw dropping open and his gaze zeroing in on one of them, a surge of memories wrapping around his mind.

* * *

_"Alec. _Alec._ Pay attention!"_

_His mother hissed at him, glaring at him as she jerked her head towards the tour guide. Alec barely suppressed the eye roll that demanded to be released as he caught up to the tour group with a few quick steps. _As if I don't already know the name of every building, every dorm, and every class taught,_ he thought. His parents had dragged him and his siblings to the Alicante campus several times a year for as long as he could remember; it's not like he was in unfamiliar territory here._

_As they strolled through the campus, Alec let his mind wander again, tuning out the chipper tour guide as she pointed out the dining halls and campus center. His eyes drifted over the athletic building in the far distance, the domed roof glinting in the late spring sunshine. He squinted, straining for a peek at the football stadium where he knew the team was preparing for a spring scrimmage. His fingers twitched as he thought about joining the team on the field, eager to run plays and celebrate well-deserved wins._

_He turned back around to once again catch up with his family and slammed straight into - _holy shit._ Alec's mouth dropped open as his hands automatically flew up to steady the other person and found himself staring into features worthy of a Greek statue. The other boy was tall, nearly as tall as Alec himself, with eyes the color of molten chocolate lined in gold glitter. The arms under Alec's palms were lean, lithe, and clad in a blue and grey patterned silk button down. The corner of the boy's mouth was curled upwards into a tiny smirk as he gave Alec a very obvious once-over._

_"You know, if you wanted to get your hands on me, darling, you could have just asked me to dinner," the boy drawled, tilting his head as his gaze raked over Alec's frame. Suddenly realizing his fingers were still tight on the boy's firm biceps, Alec snatched his hands back, stammering out an incoherent apology, blushing furiously as the boy's smile grew._

_"Magnus, stop fucking with the high schoolers, we're going to be late," another boy called out sourly, waiting with two other students several feet past them._

_"Oh, but it's so much fun," the boy - _Magnus_ \- commented, crossing his arms and playfully cocking one hip, twinkling eyes never leaving Alec's._

_"Magnus, if you make me late again, I'm going to shove your script so far down your throat, you'll learn all your lines by osmosis!"_

_He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes at Alec, leaning in as though he were about to divulge a deep, dark secret. "Never befriend a theatre major, darling. We're all a bunch of overdramatic spoilsports," he stage-whispered. He reached out and patted a hand against Alec's chest, the warmth of his skin through Alec's t-shirt like a line of fire as Magnus's fingers brushed across the fabric._

_Alec turned to watch him walk away, eyes wide and unable to shift his gaze for even a second. His heart hammered as Magnus spun to face him, walking backwards to keep pace with his friends. He lifted one finger, crooking it towards Alec in a lazy wave goodbye and throwing him a cheeky wink before whirling back around and disappearing around the corner of the arts building._

* * *

Alec's eyes widened as, from across the quad, Magnus's meandering attention landed on him. Even from a distance, the brief flicker of shock was evident on Magnus's face before it settled into a look of pleasant surprise. His mouth curled into a playful smile and he lifted one finger, crooking it towards Alec once again, this time in a clear greeting.

_Fuck._

Alec felt his skin flush in a way that had nothing to do with the morning's practice and he abruptly turned away, his eyes wide as he walked quickly to the edge of the quad and ducking between the student center and the admissions building. His mind raced as he hurried as quickly as he could back to his dorm. Alec had known for most of his life that he was attracted to guys and he'd come to terms with that when he was a freshman in high school, although the only people who knew were Jace, Isabelle, and Jace's girlfriend, Clary. His relationship status was the only thing lacking in his life - his mother was constantly bemoaning his lack of a girlfriend. He always squirmed and changed the subject, avoiding the pity and sympathy in Jace's and Izzy's eyes. He'd had small, quiet crushes in the past, never saying a thing, never changing his behavior, but he'd never once wrangled up the nerve to do anything about his feelings, and they soon drifted away, his heart closing back up until the next fleeting fancy had made himself known.

But Magnus... _Magnus._

Alec had exchanged the briefest handful of words with the older boy (_it can't even be called an 'exchange' when all you did was stutter and stare,_ his traitorous brain reminded him), but for some reason, that interaction had sunk its claws into Alec's mind. Over the last two and a half years, it replayed at the slightest provocation, until Magnus was more myth in Alec's world than reality. Alec hadn't seen him around at all last year, and he'd convinced himself that Magnus had graduated before Alec ever enrolled in AU as a student.

The clock tower in the center of campus rang out, signaling the hour, and Alec glanced down at his phone again, biting back a sharp obscenity as he sprinted into his dorm. He bypassed the elevators entirely - the Institute's elevators were notoriously the slowest and most unreliable on campus - and instead took the stairs two at a time up to the third floor, thankful once again that the dorm room he shared with Jace was right next to the stairwell door. He winced at the shooting pain in his leg as he unlocked the door, hurling his gym bag to the floor in front of his desk, scooping up his backpack, and slinging it over his shoulder as he locked the room again. He took a shortcut through one of the academic buildings between his dorm and the dining hall and hurried into the cafeteria right as breakfast was ending for the day, hoping beyond hope that there would be at least one breakfast sandwich available that he could inhale on his way into his first class. His stomach growled when he saw the already-wrapped sandwich brandished by one of the dining hall managers and he accepted it gratefully.

"Running late already, Lightwood?" George asked, grinning at him as he crossed his arms. The burly man had a thick, unruly crop of tawny curls and had taken a liking to Alec and Jace last year after they had gotten into the habit of spreading out on a corner table between mealtimes to study and do their homework. George would always bring them mugs of scalding coffee heaped with enough cream and sugar to cause a mouthful of cavities, just the way Alec liked it.

"Yeah, you know me, man, gotta live on the edge," Alec responded with a roll of his eyes, digging in his pocket for his student ID to pay for the food. George waved him off.

"It's on me, kid. Stop being such a damn delinquent and get an education, will ya?"

Alec unwrapped a corner of the sandwich and took a bite as he held out his fist. "You're the best, Georgie," he mumbled around his mouthful of egg, bacon, and bagel as George bumped his fist with his own. "I'll see you later!"

His mind still full of the Magnus mystery, he absently side-stepped a tour group and hurried out of the building, his destination on the other side of the parking lot. He finished his breakfast as he entered the academic building and popped a piece of gum in his mouth as he walked down the hallway. _At least the room is on the first floor. No damn stairs,_ he thought.

He'd filled his schedule with the general education requirements and core classes, still undecided as of yet in which direction he wanted to take his education, but he'd managed to squeeze in one elective - creative writing. His high school freshman English teacher had given their class an assignment - write a story, any story. Most of his classmates had done the bare minimum, but Alec, always eager to impress, had written over twenty-five pages and found, to his great surprise, that he thoroughly enjoyed it. His teacher had supported and encouraged his writing, even after the assignment had been completed. Jace and Isabelle had teased him relentlessly since then for being an all-star jock with a flair for words, but for whatever inexplicable reason, Alec loved writing, loved pouring his imagination onto the page, loved creating new worlds and characters and adventures. His writing was just for him, the only thing that was just for him. This writing elective was only offered once every fall and always booked up quickly - Alec was surprised he'd even managed to get a spot as a sophomore.

He walked into the classroom and slid into an empty desk on the left side of the room and pulled out his cell phone to check the time. _Five minutes to spare. Damn, I'm good._ He opened up his Instagram app and scrolled through the latest posts, liking a picture that Clary had posted that morning of her and Jace. His attention was suddenly diverted when a hand landed on his desk, nails painted black with a hint of shimmer, rings decorating several slender fingers, black beaded bracelet peeking out from beneath a black and white patterned cuff. Alec's pulse sped up as his gaze traveled up the length of the arm, sucking in a sharp breath when his eyes finally landed on the owner's face.

"I'm Magnus," he said, his lips curled into a tantalizing smile. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced."

Alec's brain short-circuited and he stared open-mouthed as Magnus smoothly slid into the seat next to him, one eyebrow lifted in expectation. "Alec," he breathed finally, blinking rapidly. Magnus's smile widened and he reached into his bag to pull out his laptop.

"Well, _Alec,_ I must say, it was a supremely pleasant surprise to see you on the quad this morning and even more so now in class." Magnus gave him a wry glance as he typed in the password to his computer. "Although I have to admit, it's a bit surprising to see an athlete of your caliber in a creative writing course."

"Of my - my caliber?" Alec stammered, still not quite able to reconcile the fact that Magnus was sitting next to him, very real and not at all myth-like. "How, um - you know I play sports?"

Magnus grinned at him. "Darling, between that impressive spread of muscles and that limp I saw earlier, it's practically dripping off you."

Alec couldn't hide the grimace that crept over his face at Magnus's observations. "You saw that?"

"Don't worry, Cheekbones, it was very slight and likely undetectable to most," Magnus reassured him, smirking as another blush stole over Alec's face at the name. "But I've pulled my fair share of muscles in my life and know exactly how that looks."

"Welcome to Creative Writing, my budding little authors," an exuberant voice echoed from the doorway. Alec finally broke his laser-focus on Magnus and looked up to see the professor striding into the classroom. "My name is Henry Branwell. Call me Professor, call me Henry, call me Branwell, I don't really care, as long as you're all open and eager to explore the depths of your imaginations and writing skills over the course of this semester."

The rest of the class passed smoothly as the professor went over his expectations, how he ran his classes, the syllabus, and his goals for all of them. Alec paid close attention, making a number of notes on the syllabus handout the professor had given to them, but he was hyper aware that Magnus sat next to him, barely two feet away. He kept sneaking glances over at the older boy, mesmerized by the casual way in which he fiddled with his rings and earrings, the tight stretch of his shirt when he rolled up his sleeves, the slight uptick at the corner of his mouth when the professor made a sarcastic quip. Towards the end of class, Professor Branwell gathered their attention once more with a brisk double clap, looking out at all of them expectantly.

"Now, one of the most critical aspects of being a writer is feedback - giving and receiving constructive critique of your pieces and your fellow writers'," Henry explained. "You'll be expected to meet and work with your partners throughout the semester, bouncing ideas off each other, giving the other feedback, discussing the feedback they give you, and making edits as necessary. Therefore, let's meet your writing buddies for the term, shall we?" He counted off the six rows of desks, clearly pleased that there were an even number of students. "Excellent. Rows one and two are partnered, three and four, and then five and six. Whoever you're sitting next to, congratulations. Meet your buddy."

It took a moment for his words to sink in, but when they finally did, Alec stopped breathing, clenching his hands into fists to hide the tremble and keeping his gaze directed at his desk, desperately afraid of what he might say or do if he looked around.

"We'll end class here for today, so your first homework assignment - get to know your partner," Henry announced, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "You'll be working closely with them over the course of the semester, so have a conversation with them and find out a few things. Go out for coffee, lunch, a walk, whatever. But begin that relationship so it's not completely uncomfortable the first time you meet up to discuss your writing." With that, he gave them all a wave in dismissal and sat down at the desk.

Unable to put it off any longer, Alec slowly glanced over at Magnus only to see Magnus slouched into his chair, observing Alec with a glittering gaze.

"Well, darling, it looks like we'll be working quite closely together this term," he drawled, an enigmatic smile dawning on glossed lips. "Lucky me."

Oh, Alec was in _so_ much trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP, I got excited about this and started writing the next chapter immediately after posting the first. Whoops?
> 
> I regret nothing. Please enjoy! <3

"Magnus, darling!"

Before Alec had a chance to speak, a tall senior girl with blood-red lips swanned over to them amongst the students beginning to trickle out of the classroom. Alec stared up at her in surprise, holding his breath. For some reason - maybe it was the lipstick or the calculated look in her eye - he had a vivid mental image of a shark circling its prey. He glanced over at Magnus, noting with surprise the brief shadow of a grimace crossing the other boy's face.

"Camille. You look well."

"I always do, darling," she scoffed, flicking a perfectly-formed curl over her shoulder. "Anyway, be my partner for class. Branwell partnered me with some twitchy little thing. I think I scare him," she added with a smirk. Just beyond her, Alec spotted the partner in question and he privately agreed - the kid looked terrified.

"While I find it devastatingly difficult to decline your... request, I think I'll have to do so anyway," Magnus responded with a bland smile. "It's always good to broaden one's social circle, and you and I simply don't work well together, as we've previously discovered."

The sugary sweet smirk dropped from the girl's face as fast as she'd appeared and she straightened up, looming over Magnus where he was still slouched carelessly in the chair. "Haven't you moved past that yet?" she demanded scathingly. "Just switch partners, Magnus. I need an easy class and I don't want to have to babysit some toddler who drops his phone whenever I look at him."

Magnus's smile tightened ever so slightly at the edges of his mouth as he closed his laptop. "Sorry, darling, can't. Love to, but can't." He slid the computer into his bag and stood, slinging it over his shoulder before he looked down at Alec. "Let's chat, Cheekbones." Alec definitely did _not_ watch Magnus stride out of the classroom, black-sequined belt glinting in the fluorescent lights.

He quickly shoved his pen and the syllabus packet into his backpack and stood with every intent on following when a long-taloned hand landed on his arm. He flinched and looked over at Camille as her nails dug into his bicep. "You're awfully pretty for a younger guy," she crooned. "Don't you want to help a lady out and switch partners?"

Alec's skin felt like it was crawling as he carefully freed himself from her grip. "Um... sorry, but I'm not looking to get in the middle of anything," he demurred, hiking his bag over his shoulder and backing away.

"You'll do what I say if you know what's good for you," she called after him. He spun and held his hands up in surrender.

"Think I'll take my chances, but thanks," he responded as he headed for the door.

He blew out the breath he'd been holding as soon as he crossed the threshold, eyes widening when he saw Magnus casually leaning against the opposite wall, thumbs tapping out a text on his phone as he waited. He glanced up, face brightening when he spotted Alec, and smoothly pushed himself off of the wall. "Ah, there you are," he commented. "Let's get out of here, shall we? Vampires seldom rest and we don't want to get bitten."

"Vampires?" Alec repeated, startled, as he followed Magnus down the hallway.

"Figure of speech, darling," Magnus replied, waving it off. "She draws you in with sweetness and honeyed words before she sinks her fangs into you and sucks out your soul. Exes have a way of doing that, but she's in a level all her own." He glanced over at Alec. "I wouldn't recommend getting caught in her web."

"No chance of that," Alec muttered, wrinkling his nose at the thought of dating a woman. He caught Magnus's speculative look and quickly looked away.

"Well... no need to linger over unpleasantries, then, not when we've got the much more alluring prospect of getting to know one another to discuss," Magnus continued smoothly as they stepped out of the building into the bright late August sunshine. He turned to face Alec. "Got any plans for lunch?"

"Uh... I actually do, yeah," Alec said, glancing around. "My sister just started as a freshman and I'm getting lunch with her and my brother and a few friends."

"Ah, how kind of you to entertain your sister on her first day," Magnus commented, holding onto the strap of his bag. "We'll just have to make other plans to meet up, then. What a torturous assignment this will be," he added, his lip quirking up in that little smile that inexplicably set Alec's pulse racing.

"Yeah, well, I, um... I could give you my number and we could just text and figure out when would work...?" he rambled, holding his breath as his voice trailed off. Magnus's smile grew and he pulled out his phone, silently holding it out to Alec to input his phone number. Alec's fingers brushed Magnus's as he handed the phone back and he quickly shoved his hand into his pocket to hide the sudden tremble that gripped him.

"Lovely. Enjoy your lunch, darling," Magnus said, holding up his phone and smiling softly. "You'll be hearing from me." He turned and walked away, heading towards one of the senior townhouses, and this time, Alec couldn't even deny he was staring as Magnus's hips swung back and forth in a pair of jeans that were so tight, they should be illegal.

God, he was so fucked.

He let his head drop back, staring into the sky until the sun seemed to sear his retinas. He squeezed his eyes closed and pressed his fingers against his eyelids, groaning before he hefted his backpack into a better position and headed off to meet his siblings and friends for lunch. He stopped at the student mailboxes just inside the dining hall, glancing around to see if anyone else had arrived yet. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he dug it out, nearly dropping it when he saw the unknown number on the screen.

_By the way, well done with Camille, darling. Not often a man escapes her clutches as easily as you did._

Alec lifted his gaze from his phone, scouring his surroundings to make sure none of his friends saw him staring dopily at the screen, before returning his attention to the text, biting his lip as he tapped out a response.

_Thanks. She doesn't seem like someone who gives up easily. I'll start bringing garlic and wooden stakes to class._

"Alec!"

He hit send and glanced up to see his sister Isabelle weaving her way through the masses of students in the entryway, Clary and Jace closely following. He tucked his phone into his pocket and grinned as Izzy approached, pushing her long glossy hair out of her face.

"Are we waiting for anyone else?" she asked impatiently, teetering in her five-inch heels. "I'm _starving_."

"Simon's already upstairs," Clary said, reading a text. "He grabbed a table."

"_Perfect_, then let's go," Isabelle urged, pushing them all towards the stairs leading up to the cafeteria.

"Iz, did you forget to eat breakfast again this morning?" Jace teased her.

"Yup. Looking this good takes time and effort!" she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

Alec grinned to himself as they walked upstairs. His phone buzzed again and he pulled it out, hiding a smile as he read Magnus's response.

_No fear in the face of imminent death, witty quips, AND rippling pectorals? Be still my heart!_

"What are you smiling at?"

He glanced up to see Izzy, Jace, and Clary all staring at him from the top of the stairs. He shoved his phone back into his pocket and pushed past them.

"Nothing," he said defensively, shouldering through the throngs of students as he led the way to their corner table.

"You were smiling at nothing?" Clary asked incredulously. "Alec Lightwood does not just smile at nothing."

"And your face is all red," Jace pointed out innocently. "Why's your face all red, buddy?"

"It's hot in here!" Alec snapped, glaring over his shoulder at the three of them. Isabelle raised a single perfectly-shaped eyebrow at him as Clary dissolved into giggles.

He turned his back to them and stomped over to the table Simon had saved, dropping his bag into one of the seats and heading into the cafeteria without waiting for everyone else. He picked up a burger and fries and grabbed a bottle of water before heading to the checkout, nodding at a couple of his teammates as he passed them. He scanned his student ID to pay for the meal and walked back out to the table, glancing around before he pulled out his phone again. He reread Magnus's last text, his heart racing as his mind flew through the implications. Alec had approximately zero experience with guys flirting with him, but he'd certainly never before seen a message like this between two heterosexual guys. His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he tapped instead on the contact information, saving Magnus's number and quickly turning the phone face-down on the table as Isabelle's voice floated over the din.

Deciphering Magnus's intentions would have to wait; he had a family lunch to get through first.

* * *

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, although Alec was supremely distracted throughout his three afternoon classes. Luckily, the first classes of the semester were all just discussing syllabi and class expectations and it didn't particularly matter that he was only paying partial attention. His mind swirled around thoughts of Magnus and his phone seemed to burn in his pocket. He'd never answered Magnus's last message, couldn't even seem to think of anything to say in response, but he found himself constantly checking his phone to see if anything new had been received.

He stepped out of the building after his last class of the day and took a deep breath as he walked around the building to head to the dining hall. He and Jace were grabbing a quick dinner before cramming in an evening workout and he hoped his hamstring would behave. His brow creased as he mentally ran through his workout plan, trying to pinpoint which reps may aggravate the injury. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he nearly dropped it in his rush to pull it out.

_Contemplative is a good look on you._

His head snapped up, eyes wide as he spun around, gaze scanning his surroundings until his eyes landed on their target. Magnus was walking towards the dining hall with a small group of students, ever-present smirk gracing his lips as he winked at Alec. A blush stole over Alec's cheeks as Magnus disappeared through the doors and he glanced back down at his phone, hesitating for just a moment before responding.

_Probably less impressive considering I was contemplating my workout._

Jace clapped him on the shoulder and Alec slipped his phone into his pocket, resisting the urge to immediately pull it back out when it buzzed less than a minute later. He and Jace each grabbed food, Alec barely identifying what he was shoving into his mouth, before heading back to their dorm to change. He surreptitiously checked his texts, heart jumping when he saw Magnus's texts.

_Brains and brawn, darling, you've got it all._

_So when will you have time in your oh so busy schedule for little old me?_

Alec skimmed through the practice schedule for the week, nose wrinkling as he looked over the time, before tapping out a reply.

_We've got our first game next Saturday and our coach is running us pretty hard, so I'm kind of tight between now and then. But I could meet up on Sunday night, around 8 maybe if that's not too late for you?_

He glanced up as Jace returned from the bathroom, digging in his backpack for his headphones, and reached out to grab his armband from his dresser, tucking his own earbuds in and opening up Spotify, selecting a playlist at random. He slipped his phone into his armband and shoved his keys and ID into the pocket of his shorts. Jace clapped him on his back and they headed out of their dorm at a jog, enjoying the early fall evening as they ran through campus to the athletic center. Alec's breath burned in his lungs and he relished the fire that stretched through his muscles as his feet pounded against the pavement.

All too soon, they arrived at the gym and headed straight to the weights. Alec lost himself in the workout, gritting his teeth when he added additional weight to his set, ignoring Jace's questioning gaze across the room. He wanted to push himself, to feel the trembling in his limbs when he finished his reps. Go big or go home. He wanted to impress Starkweather, his teammates, his family, and the only way to do that was to be bigger and better than he currently was.

Two hours later, he lay back on one of the mats on the far side of the room, wincing as he stretched out overworked muscles, breathing shakily when his hamstring pulled tight. He slowly clambered to his feet, grabbing another bottle of water from the fridge by the door as he waited for Jace to finish his last set. He pulled his phone from his armband and opened up his messages, studiously skipping over Magnus's to tap out responses to Isabelle, Simon, and a few teammates, his finger hovering over Magnus's name for a moment before opening the text.

_I'm 21, Cheekbones, not 101. 8 on Sunday is perfectly fine._

_I must say, I'm not a particularly fervent sports fan, but if I know you're playing, I may need to make an exception._

Alec bit the inside of his cheek as he considered his response, chuckling to himself and typing quickly before he could lose his nerve.

_You should. We could always use more cheerleaders. And something tells me you'd probably be more interesting to watch than the current squad._

Alec hit the send button and immediately broke out into a cold sweat. Holy _fuck_, what the hell did he just say? Was he flirting with Magnus?! Did he _want_ to flirt with Magnus? Was Magnus flirting with him too? His phone buzzed in his hand and his mouth went dry as he read the reply.

_Oh, that's the understatement of the century, darling, you have absolutely no idea. ;)_

"Ready to go?" Jace's voice cut through his reverie and he locked the phone before Jace could catch sight of anything.

"Yup," he croaked out, his voice hoarse. He spun away from Jace and walked out of the weights room, taking a gulp of his water as he went.

They headed back through campus, walking slowly through the warm evening, legs leaden after their workouts. Jace was uncharacteristically quiet as they went, scuffing the toes of his sneakers against the sidewalks.

"Alec, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked suddenly, breaking the silence around them. Alec frowned as he looked over at his brother.

"Where did that come from?" he deflected, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I just want to make sure you know," Jace responded softly. "Sometimes it seems like you're hiding yourself away and, like... I dunno, man, I'm here for you."

Alec stared down at his feet as he considered Jace's words. "I mean... sometimes... I don't know. What do you want to know?"

"I don't want you to feel like I'm interrogating you or anything," Jace said, shaking his head. "But you're my brother. You can talk to me. Whenever."

Alec looked over at Jace and gave him a small smile. "I'll keep that in mind," he murmured.

"Soooo..." Jace drew the word out as he gazed up at the darkening sky. "Dating anyone?"

"Oh, fuck off," Alec snapped, grinning and giving Jace's shoulder a shove. Jace laughed as he pushed Alec right back.

"All right, not dating, fine," he amended, still chuckling. "Got your eye on anyone, then?"

Alec opened his mouth in his usual automatic denial, Magnus's smirk center in his mind, when his phone rang. Thankful for the distraction, he pulled it out, holding it out for Jace to see. They stepped off the sidewalk to stay out of the way as he answered on speakerphone. "Hey, Mom."

"Alec! Is Jace there too? How were your first days?" Maryse's voice sounded staticky and Alec pictured her in her car, shouting a bit to be heard over the car's Bluetooth.

"Yeah, Jace is right here, we just finished working out," Alec said. "Today was good, four classes, but they were all just going over the syllabus, so nothing too bad."

"And Jace? How about you?"

"Yeah, it was good, I only had two classes, so I was able to get in a quality nap before dinner," Jace added, grinning. Alec rolled his eyes - Jace _loved_ poking their mother.

"Jonathan Christopher, we're sending you to Alicante to get an education, not to sleep!"

Jace cracked up as Alec smacked the back of his head. "He's an idiot, Mom, you know that," he commented, flipping his brother off. "I'll keep him in line."

"You do that. How is the team looking this year?"

"Promising," Jace responded. "Alec will be making starting quarterback any minute now."

"Oh, Alec -!"

"No, no, stop, it's not a guarantee," Alec interrupted, glaring at Jace. "It's between me and a junior, Raj Joshi. We'll find out who's starting on Monday morning at practice."

"Well, I expect a phone call as soon as you find out!"

Alec exchanged a glance with Jace. "When I know, you'll know."

She asked a few more questions about their practices and the game the following weekend, Jace and Alec both answering on autopilot before she asked about Clary. Jace glanced up at Alec almost guiltily and Alec just pinched the bridge of his nose in response, both of them knowing what was coming next.

"And Alec, what about you, honey? Any girls catching your eye?"

Alec clenched his jaw for a moment before he replied, "Nope, no one. Just focusing on classes and football for now."

"Oh, come on! There's plenty of pretty girls that go to Alicante. Any one of them would love to go out with you!"

Alec felt the familiar tension creeping up his shoulders as his mother spoke. "I'm sure, Mom."

"Just wait until he's starting, he'll have lines of... suitors then," Jace interjected, wincing at the glare Alec cast at him.

"Anyway, we've got to go, Mom," Alec said abruptly. "We just finished working out and we're both gross." He quickly ended the call, looking anywhere but at his brother.

"Alec, I'm -"

"Don't," Alec cut him off. "Just... just don't." He sighed heavily, digging his fingers into his hair. "I'm gonna just... I'm gonna run for a bit. I'll see you back at the room."

Without waiting for a response, he stuck his earbuds back in and jogged off, shoving his phone back into his armband. He paid no attention to his route or how long he ran, focusing only to the thudding of his feet against the pavement and the breeze against his skin, letting the night air clear his mind and calm his nerves.

A painful stitch in his side eventually brought him to a stop, bent over and panting hard as he pressed one hand to his side. He winced as he sucked in a deep breath, leaning to the opposite side to help ease it out.

"Alec?"

He pulled his earbuds out and glanced around, pushing sweaty hair off his forehead as his eyes landed on a lithe figure sitting at one of the dozens of picnic tables scattered around campus, this one at the very edge of a streetlight's reach. "...Magnus?" He took a few steps closer, his legs as wobbly as a newborn colt, and Magnus offered a steadying hand. Alec waved him off, grimacing as he sank down onto the bench on the opposite side of the table. "What are you doing out here in the dark?"

Magnus smiled at him as he tucked a pencil in the book he'd been reading. "My housemates are all marathon-watching the latest Bachelor season and shouting at the television. While I always love a good binge-watch, I desperately need to find a monologue for auditions, so I thought I'd come out here for some quiet and to see if any inspiration strikes," he explained, his hand resting on the book.

"Auditions?"

"I'm a drama major, and auditions for the fall show are next week. Not to pat myself too much on the back, but I have a rather lofty reputation to uphold, so I've got to find something good." He eyed Alec critically, kohl-lined eyes narrowing as he took in his appearance. "No offense, darling, but you look exhausted."

Alec sighed heavily and looked around, noting with some surprise that night had fully fallen and campus had grown quiet. "Yeah. I am. I worked out with my brother earlier and then I went running... what time is it, anyway?" he asked, too tired to even pull his phone out to check.

"Nearly eleven."

"Oh _fuck_, seriously? Shit. I ran for almost two hours," he muttered to himself.

"Something on your mind?" Magnus prompted, delicately propping his chin on one hand. Alec stared back at him for a moment, hesitating, before glancing away.

"It's nothing really," he muttered, twisting his fingers together. "Just some family stuff."

"Well... I hope it all settles down for you soon. But if you'd ever like an unbiased ear, I'm just a text away," he offered.

Alec's eyes inevitably drifted back to meet Magnus's, caught by the honesty and sincerity obvious in his gaze, and he found himself smiling softly. "Thank you," he said quietly, his voice barely audible in the night. "I appreciate that. Really."

Magnus's eyes warmed before he glanced down, picking up his book as he stood. "You should get yourself home," he commented. "You look like you're ready to fall asleep on the table."

"It's a viable possibility," Alec responded, hoisting himself to his feet with a groan. They both stepped through the grass back onto the paved sidewalk and stood in the pool of lamplight in a companionable silence. Magnus looked up at him, hesitating for a few seconds before he tentatively reached out and placed his hand on Alec's chest, right over his heart, the heat of his palm like a fiery brand through the thin fabric of his sweat-damp t-shirt. Alec held his breath, desperately hoping that Magnus couldn't feel how hard his heart was pounding.

"Get some sleep, Alec," Magnus told him. "It'll all work out in the end."

He gave Alec one last smile before he turned and walked off towards the senior housing. Alec stood, watching him go until he disappeared between two of the townhouses. He suddenly felt lighter and he took a deep breath before he headed off as well. Maybe things weren't so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three chapters in a week is a new record for me. Fingers crossed I can keep the momentum going!
> 
> Enjoy, my loves! <3

Alec quickly settled into life as a sophomore, waking early each day for practice, heading to classes, and spending time with his friends and teammates. It looked remarkably similar to his freshman year, if he stopped to think about it - with the exception of Magnus. Alec found himself quickly entranced by the older boy, constantly checking his phone for new texts, hiding smiles and ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat when he saw Magnus's name appear on his phone several times a day. They talked about everything, from professors to books to pop culture and anything in between. He'd never before been one to move through the world with his phone glued to his hand and the sight was enough to draw more than one strange look from his friends.

Sunday morning dawned cool and overcast, and the skies had only darkened further by the time the team had finished their morning practice. Alec glared up at the ominous clouds just as a fat raindrop splattered across his forehead. "Oh, come the fuck on," he muttered, yanking up the hood of his sweatshirt as he and Jace hurried across campus, minds set on making it to brunch before the omelette bar closed.

"You're acting like the sky is out to get you personally, dude," Jace teased as he finished a text to Clary. "Could be worse. Starkweather could have kept us for a longer practice in the rain."

"Yeah, I know. Hopefully, it doesn't last too long."

"Why, you got someplace to be?"

Alec hesitated. He hadn't said a single word about Magnus to anyone, not even that they were partnered for their writing class, but it was bound to come out sooner or later. "Not until tonight."

"Ooh, got a hot date?"

"_No_," Alec snapped back quickly. "Just... my writing professor paired us off so we have someone to give us feedback throughout the semester. Our first assignment is to meet with our partner and, I don't know, get to know them or some shit. That's all."

They both jumped when a crack of thunder echoed throughout campus and abandoned their conversation in favor of breaking into a full-tilt sprint over the last stretch of ground to the dining hall doors just as sheets of rain began pouring from the sky. Alec pushed his hood off, shaking out his damp hair, and led the way up to the cafeteria, eagerly joining the relatively short line for omelettes.

"Where are you going to meet with your partner?" Jace asked as he stepped into line behind him. "If they're in the Institute too, you wouldn't even have to leave the building to deal with the rain."

"Uh, we hadn't figured that out yet," Alec muttered, his eyes locked on the containers of omelette ingredients. "They're in a different dorm, though."

They ordered their breakfasts a few moments later and ladened down their trays with toast, orange juice, and coffee before commandeering a table from a departing group of freshmen. Alec breathed a silent sigh of relief as Jace dropped the subject. His mind raced, however - they really _hadn't_ discussed where to meet up. He couldn't imagine Magnus would want to come to an undergraduate dorm, where there was virtually no privacy ever. Would he be expected to go to Magnus's dorm? The student union, the library, the dining hall?

He managed to wait until they got back to their dorm, soaked to the skin, before he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Magnus.

_Hey, stranger, where did you want to meet tonight?_

He grabbed his towel and roughly dried his hair, yanking his sodden t-shirt over his head and grabbing a dry sweatshirt from his bed, fighting to get his arms free when he heard his phone vibrate on his desk.

_Hey, yourself. What would you say to getting off campus for a bit? I know a diner that has the best milkshakes and enough fries to feed an army._

Alec grinned down at his phone, carefully turned away from Jace to hide his reaction.

_I'd say that sounds perfect. I'm always up for a good milkshake and I'll literally never say no to fries._

"Don't forget, we've got that meeting tonight about team expectations and shit," Jace reminded him as he flopped down onto his bed.

"Yeah, I remember," Alec muttered, sitting down at his desk and opening his French textbook. "At six, right?"

"Yep." Jace shoved his pillow behind his head and closed his eyes. "Sooo... what time is your date tonight?"

"Dude, it's not a fucking date," Alec grumbled, steadfastly refusing to face his brother in an attempt to hide the rising flush on his cheeks. "It's just for class."

Jace hummed noncommittally and threw his arm over his face. "Whatever you say, buddy. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me in time for dinner."

Alec rolled his eyes and picked up his phone, biting the inside of his cheek when he saw Magnus's response.

_Well then, darling, I'd say we've got ourselves a plan. Meet in front of the dining commons at 8 and we can walk over?_

This was _not_ a date, this was _not_ a date, this was _definitely_ not a date.

_Sounds great. I've got a team meeting at 6, but it should be over by then. Send a search party if it's not._

Alec opened his French book and started down at the first lesson, reading the words on the page and comprehending nothing as his mind instead chose to run through his wardrobe to decide on an outfit. This was ridiculous. He was probably reading far too much into things. Magnus was a senior; he definitely wouldn't be interested in someone like Alec - younger, inexperienced, so far in the closet he couldn't even see the door anymore. He scrubbed his hand over his face as his phone buzzed again.

_Don't worry, darling. If that's the case, I'll come rescue you myself._

"Just go fuck him already so I can take a nap without hearing your phone vibrate every four seconds," Jace grumbled from his bed.

"You're honestly the worst," Alec shot back, silencing his phone.

"Love you too, brother."

* * *

Alec hurried out of the team meeting that evening at a pace just short of a sprint. There was no legitimate reason why a meeting on team expectations should have taken over two hours, but Starkweather had managed to drone on for what seemed like an eternity. Now Alec was late for his meeting with Magnus and rushed across campus as quickly as he could without breaking a sweat. He'd dressed in his favorite jeans and a rather snug forest green t-shirt, his beat-up leather jacket thrown on. While this definitely wasn't a date, there was no reason why he shouldn't look nice, even a little bit, he'd reasoned to himself a bit defensively as he was dressing. Jace had given him a _look_ but blessedly had said nothing.

Alec gritted his teeth as he quickly jogged through campus, cursing the unseasonably chilly weather and the renewed drizzle dampening his clothes and hair. He was going to end up looking like a drowned rat by the time he made it to the commons. He tugged the collar of his jacket further up his neck and shoved his hands into his pockets.

His breath stuttered a bit as he hurried up the hill leading to the dining hall - Magnus stood just outside the doors, wearing a stylish black trench coat and holding an umbrella over his head. He glanced up from his phone as Alec approached and smiled.

"Hey! I'm so sorry I'm late, my coach wouldn't shut up during this meeting about team expectations and shit," Alec burst out when he reached Magnus's side.

"No need to apologize, darling. I was just about to rally the troops to stage a dramatic rescue, per your request," Magnus responded, giving him a little wink, and if that made Alec's heart melt at all, he definitely wasn't going to acknowledge it. "No umbrella for you?"

"I, uh... I don't actually own one," Alec said, shrugging one shoulder. "Although I didn't know it was supposed to rain again; otherwise, I would have worn a hoodie or something."

"Well... I certainly won't complain about seeing you in this," Magnus mused, his gaze trailing over Alec's leather jacket. He smirked as Alec blushed and ducked his head. "I'll be charitable and share mine, never fear. Shall we?"

He held the umbrella out over Alec's head and they set off together, following the path through campus leading to the main exit. Magnus asked a few questions about the football team and Alec's athletic history. Alec tried a few times to redirect the conversation, remembering that Magnus had mentioned he wasn't a sports fan, but Magnus seemed genuinely interested in Alec's answers, encouraging the stories and anecdotes that Alec was telling. Despite this being really the first time they'd spent any time together other than class or accidental run-ins, Alec found himself instantly at ease talking with Magnus. He never at any point felt self-conscious or hyper-aware of himself and what he was saying. It just felt... comfortable.

Magnus led him to Taki's, a diner just off-campus that was fairly popular among the AU students, although Alec had never been himself. Given the rainy night, it was fairly quiet, just a few other customers scattered throughout the large space, and they selected a table in the far corner. They accepted the menus handed to them by the smiling waitress and pulled their jackets off, hanging them on a nearby coat rack to dry. Alec's eyes widened at the pull of Magnus's button-down shirt across his shoulders, quickly staring down at the menu when Magnus's gaze shifted over to him.

"So, milkshakes, huh?" he commented, instantly giving himself a mental punch at how idiotic he sounded.

"Honestly, they're incredible," Magnus told him, flipping Alec's menu over and pointing at the selection. "They have just about every flavor you can imagine, and probably even a few you couldn't."

"Holy _shit_." Alec's mouth watered as he looked over the list of flavors. They spent a few minutes poring over the menu until the waitress came back. They each ordered a milkshake - cherry chocolate for Alec and sea salt vanilla caramel for Magnus - and orders of fries and onion rings.

"So," Magnus began after the waitress had left, propping his chin on his hand, a mischievous twinkle glittering in his eyes. "Time to get to know each other."

Oh, sure, _now_ Alec was nervous. He surreptitiously wiped clammy palms on his jeans. "Yup. Guess so. Uh... what do you want to know?"

Magnus thought for a moment. "Favorite Disney movie."

Alec barked out a surprised laugh. "_That's_ what you want to know?!"

Magnus barely managed to stifle a grin before looking at Alec very seriously. "Why, Alexander, your answer could make or break our entire working relationship, it's very important."

"Alexander?" Alec's brain screeched to a halt at hearing his full name fall from Magnus's lips. Magnus's eyes flared for a moment and he sat back.

"I'm sorry - I meant Alec, it just -"

"No! I mean, it's okay, Alexander is fine, it just surprised me," Alec blurted out. "The only time I get called Alexander is if my mom is yelling about something, so I just wasn't expecting - but I... I, um, don't mind it. From you," he muttered, glancing away as the waitress delivered their food. Magnus plucked a French fry from the plate and popped it into his mouth, dark eyes unreadable.

"Well, then. If it's all right with you, I'll keep using it. I think it suits you." he said finally, the corners of his lips tilted into a soft smile. Alec was completely entranced and he reached out for an onion ring just to give himself something to do. "So? Favorite Disney movie?"

Alec chuckled as he bit into the greasy snack. "_The Emperor's New Groove_," he answered finally, grinning when Magnus burst out laughing.

"Seriously?!"

"Hey, it's a criminally underrated movie!" Alec protested.

"That's not even remotely what I was expecting to hear, but that's brilliant," Magnus commented, leaning back slightly as the waitress carried their milkshakes over. Alec couldn't even try to prevent his jaw from dropping when Magnus scooped a finger through the mound of whipped cream topping the drink and licked it clean. _Oh, fuck._

"So, um, what about you, then?" Alec asked when his brain started working again.

Magnus sighed as he took a sip of his milkshake. "_Moana_. It's visually stunning and I just love the story," he explained.

"I've never seen it."

"What?! Oh, we'll need to correct that right away," Magnus teased, the gold shimmer on his lids highlighting the glimmer in his eyes.

"Name the time and place," Alec replied, his heart racing at the thought of watching a movie with Magnus, possibly in a dark room, maybe sitting close together, late at night...

"Deal," Magnus agreed softly.

Despite Alec's nervousness at spending time one-on-one with Magnus, their conversation flowed unceasingly. They discussed hobbies, the classes they were taking and wanted to take, where they would go if they could travel anywhere in the world, where Magnus was last year (studying abroad in Paris and London), their favorite books and authors, guilty pleasures, and everything in between. Alec found himself being uncharacteristically open with Magnus, telling him things that even Jace and Isabelle didn't know. He felt almost safe, like he could be himself with Magnus, without fear of judgement or rejection.

They finally vacated their booth around midnight when the waitress apologetically told them the diner was closing. They split the bill and left a generous tip to make up for keeping her there that late. The rain had finally stopped by the time they stepped back outside and they slowly made their way back to campus, taking a meandering route as they continued chatting quietly. The conversation turned more serious as they walked. Alec brought up his parents' heavy expectations for him and how he often felt like he was falling short. Magnus told him that his mother had died when he was young and hinted that his father was fairly unscrupulous and luckily absent, although he didn't go into any detail. Alec felt like he could tell Magnus anything, and before he could stop himself -

"I'm gay," Alec blurted out, immediately freezing, his eyes wide. He glanced at Magnus to see him come to a halt on the walkway next to him. "Fuck. I, um... I've never actually said that before. Out loud. To anyone. I mean, Jace and Izzy know, like I didn't tell them, but they _know_, but -"

"Alexander," Magnus interrupted, reaching out to place a hand Alec's arm. Alec's mouth snapped shut with an audible click as he stared down at the ground. Magnus gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. "Hey. Alec... please look at me?" Alec closed his eyes briefly before he looked up at the older boy. Magnus's eyes were warm and understanding as he stepped incrementally closer. "Thank you for trusting me with this. I know how heavy this kind of a burden can be, and I'm honored that you told me."

"Wait, really?"

Magnus smiled wryly at him. "Darling, I'm a rather free-wheeling bisexual. I've had this type of conversation a time or twelve, and I'm intimately familiar with the emotions."

Alec opened his mouth to speak and realized he had no idea what to say. He'd known Magnus for all of a week, barely, and already felt comfortable enough to tell him his biggest secret, and Magnus just... _accepted_ it. _Thanked_ him for telling him. He's not looking at Alec like he's strange or wrong or in need of fixing. Alec inhaled sharply and spun away to hide the sudden sheen of tears that sprang to his eyes, blinking rapidly when he felt Magnus step close, his hand a comforting weight on Alec's back.

They stood silently for several long minutes, Alec breathing shakily as he regained his careful control over himself. He finally turned back towards Magnus, slightly embarrassed at his reaction. "Sorry," he whispered, clearing his throat.

"Don't ever apologize for being yourself, Alexander," Magnus told him firmly. "You're exactly who you're meant to be."

"Yeah, until everyone finds out I'm a gay football player and thinks I'm out to grab them in the locker room or some shit," Alec muttered bitterly.

"Fuck them," Magnus said bluntly. "If they believe that, that's on them. That doesn't mean it's your truth. You know yourself, Alexander. Don't let anyone cause you to second-guess yourself."

Once again, Alec found himself speechless. How the _hell_ did this beautiful, confident, enigmatic man know exactly what to say? Magnus seemed to realize that Alec was at a loss for words and just gave him a soft smile. They continued walking through campus until they reached the senior townhouses.

"I'm glad we were able to get together tonight, Alexander," Magnus said at last, breaking the comfortable silence that had cocooned them as they walked.

"Even though it was just a homework assignment?" Alec asked, trying for a bit of levity.

"This was certainly the most enjoyable homework assignment I've ever completed," Magnus responded, smirking. He stepped back towards the dorms, pointing his umbrella at Alec. "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"I'll be there."

"Oh! And let me know how things go in the morning," Magnus added, his face brightening. "I'll make a sacrifice to the football gods that the coach chooses well."

"Perfect, that sacrifice should seal the deal," Alec joked, grinning. Magnus winked at him and spun, sauntering towards his dorm. Alec watched him leave for a few moments before he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off towards his own dorm, intent on getting a few hours of sleep before their early morning practice. And if his smile lingered until he was walking into his room, who could blame him?

* * *

Magnus was already seated with his laptop out when Alec casually strolled into creative writing and slid into his desk. The senior's face instantly brightened and he spun in his chair, sitting sideways to face Alec head on and resting his elbows on his knees.

"...well?!"

Alec said nothing as he pulled out his own laptop and took a sip of his coffee. "Welllll..." he began when he was finally situated, drawing the single word out as he gave a lazy roll of his head to look at Magnus. The other boy's hesitant excitement got the best of him and a wide grin suddenly spread across his face. "I got it. Starting quarterback."

Magnus's eyes lit up and he reached out, tightly grasping Alec's arm with both of his hands. "_Yes!_ Alexander, that's incredible, congratulations!" He gave Alec's arm another squeeze and sat back in his chair as the professor walked in. "How did your competition handle the news?"

"Raj? Oh, he's pissed. He thought it was a guarantee that he'd get it because he's a junior and I'm only a sophomore. I just hope he still acts like a team player and doesn't do anything stupid."

"Do you think he would?" Magnus asked, twisting one of his rings around his finger.

"Honestly? I hope not, but he's kind of an asshole, so I wouldn't really put anything past him," Alec responded softly, glancing around. He wasn't sure who Raj was friendly with and he didn't want any word getting back to his teammate.

"Well, hopefully he doesn't attempt anything untoward," Magnus said as he opened up his laptop. "It looks like I'll need to make attending football games a regular part of my routine."

"You really don't," Alec told him. "You're not a sports fan, so I wouldn't expect you to force yourself to go to something you don't enjoy."

"Oh, I'm sure I'd enjoy watching. Certain aspects, anyway," Magnus teased, his eyes flickering down Alec's body and back up. Alec blushed furiously as the professor called their attention to begin the class.

"Now, I'm going to trust you were all adults and spent some time with your writing partners, I'm not going to quiz you or anything," Professor Branwell began, looking out over the class. "We've only got a few short months together, so let's start getting down to the details, shall we? Show of hands, who's ever started writing without a particularly clear sense of your character?" Alec glanced around, relieved to see his hand was only one of many. "Thought so. And for all of you, who's ever had it come back later in the piece to bite them straight in the arse?" A rippling giggle echoed in the classroom at the professor's phrasing, his posh accent making the situation seem much more positive than it often was. "Sounds about right, my ducklings. And _that_ is one of the reasons why initial character development is so important in creative writing."

Alec listened in fascination as the professor detailed the different aspects of character development and how to fully round out a character. This was the part of writing he skipped over just about every time - he was always far too eager to get to the actual writing to think about his characters' backstories and motivations, strengths and weaknesses. He snuck a sidelong glance at Magnus when the professor mentioned drawing inspiration from those around them, not necessarily for the character itself, but different personality traits. He could certainly draw quite a bit of inspiration from Magnus, but he wasn't sure he could ever translate that inspiration to an actual character. Magnus was too one-of-a-kind for that.

Alec was surprised when class wrapped up, the professor beaming out at all of them as they finished typing up final notes. "I'm sure you're all eagerly wondering about your assignments," Henry teased, rubbing his hands together. "I want you all to create three new characters, meaning you've never before used any of them in your writing. Just three. Full backstories, personalities, likes, dislikes, family histories, the whole twenty yards. The catch, however, is that they _cannot_ fit into the same story as the others, nor can they be too similar. I don't want to see three characters who are all from the same warrior tribe who all fight together, for example. They can be from whatever world, whatever scenario, whatever plot you'd like - and you don't necessarily need to know the plot of the story itself - but they must all be distinctly different. What I'm looking for here is just how well you can create and develop an original character and to what depth. Additionally, you must meet with your partner at some point this week to go over your characters and to discuss feedback and critique. Note your partner's comments in your notes so I can see where you started and where you landed. If you've got questions or would like input, my email is always open. Be sure to have your characters emailed to me by Sunday night." He fluttered his fingers at the class. "Fly free, my birds, and I'll see you all next week!"

Alec mused over the assignment as he finished off his now-cold coffee and closed down his notes. This was definitely going to be a challenging assignment, but he found he was looking forward to it.

"So, _partner_, when would work for you?" Magnus asked as they both packed up their laptops and stood. Alec grimaced and pulled out his phone.

"Uhh..." He grumbled a bit as he looked over the practice schedule Starkweather had sent out. "Fuck, this is insane. Uh, I could meet... on Thursday afternoon? Maybe?" He glanced up and winced apologetically. "Coach has us practicing every day between now and the game on Saturday to make sure we're ready, so things are kind of tight."

"No need to apologize, Alexander, I understand completely," Magnus said, waving a hand. "As it happens, I don't actually have classes on Thursdays, so that works perfectly for me."

Alec quickly tapped on an email that popped up before he looked up at Magnus. "Yeah? That's great! How did you manage to get no classes on Thursdays?"

"Senior perks, darling," Magnus responded wryly, tossing him a little smirk as they both exited the room and walked down the hall. "I assume you're having lunch with your siblings today?"

"Uh, no, actually. Jace forgot to do a reading for his afternoon class and Isabelle is checking out the club fair with Clary and Simon. And my first class this afternoon just got cancelled since the professor's kid has a stomach bug, so I've got a bit of free time." He glanced over at Magnus. "Would you... I dunno, do you wanna grab lunch? Or something?"

Magnus smiled warmly at him, his eyes bright as they stepped out of the building into the sun. "Lunch sounds lovely, Alexander. Shall we?"

They made their way over to the dining hall, unable to have much of a conversation through the din of the students milling around the lower level and spilling out into the courtyard for the club fair. He spotted Isabelle and Clary across the crowds and waved at them, grinning as the pair blew over-the-top kisses at him. He followed Magnus inside, grabbing a tray and weaving his way over to the hamburgers, making the split second decision to load up on cheese and bacon, and scooped up the first order of freshly made French fries.

"Not a very healthy lunch there, Lightwood," came the scoffing comment from behind him. Alec rolled his eyes and turned to face Raj, spotting Magnus across the cafeteria beyond the junior player, eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the interaction.

"You know, Raj, sometimes you've just got to live a little, especially when you've got something to celebrate," he said lightly, clapping a hand on his shoulder as he stepped past him. "Enjoy your lunch, man!"

Magnus smirked as he spun on his heel and sauntered off towards the registers. Alec ignored the expletive shouted at him from Raj and kept walking. He met back up with Magnus just past the registers and they headed towards an empty table to one side of the dining hall.

"So, Alexander," Magnus began, reaching out to steal a fry from Alec's tray, "thoughts on this assignment?"

"I'm actually excited about it," Alec said, twisting open the cap of his water. "I mean, I'm total shit at character development, so it'll be tough, but hopefully it'll help me get my writing together so I stop fucking up my characters any time I write."

"Well, this is cozy, boys. What an adorable little spectacle."

Alec fought back an eye-roll as Camille stopped at the end of their table, hip cocked out to one side. He saw Magnus's gaze turn stony and he gave his shin a light nudge with his foot to catch his attention, giving a tiny shake of his head as he bit into his burger. Magnus frowned slightly as he speared a tomato with his fork.

"Magnus, haven't you grown up yet?" Camille demanded, leaning over their table and giving both of them a clear view down her shirt. "I already talked to Branwell and he said he's fine with us switching as long as everyone agrees." She glanced over at Alec, reaching over to run her fingers through his hair. "And pretty boy here agrees, don't you?"

Alec calmly swatted at her hand as though shooing away a fly, still refusing to look up at her. He popped a fry into his mouth and glanced up at Magnus. "You hear something?" he asked innocently.

The corners of Magnus's mouth twitched as he bit back a grin and he gave an exaggerated shrug, staring down at his salad as he dug out a piece of chicken. "The drone of the club fair, the clatter of silverware, a distant police siren, the hum of the International Space Station... but other than all that, no, I hear nothing at all," he said smoothly, picking up his tea and giving Alec an arched look over the rim of the mug.

"Hmm. So weird." Alec echoed his shrug and took a sip of his water.

They both sat there, gazes looking everywhere other than at Camille or each other, until she finally stormed off, shoving into Alec's chair as she passed. Alec grinned over at Magnus.

"I should have have them put garlic on my burger instead of bacon," he said. Magnus chuckled, a bright freeing laugh, and held out his tea towards Alec, tapping it on the side of Alec's bottle of water.

"You're certainly something else, Alexander," he murmured, his eyes warm and unreadable.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels rough, but I don't know why, but I've also spent way too much time fighting with it, so *flings into the abyss*
> 
> Please enjoy even though I'm not thrilled with it! <3

Alec dropped his head down onto the table in the side dining commons with a loud groan and tugged at his hair. He'd been fighting with his character assignment for two full days and he was supposed to meet with Magnus now to go over his characters for feedback and he had... nothing. Less than nothing. He'd drafted and scrapped over a dozen different characters and hated every one.

"Darling, you look like you're in desperate need of this."

Alec peeled his forehead off the table, grimacing at the sticky residue left on his skin, and peered blearily up at Magnus until his gaze focused on the proffered cup. His eyes widened and he reverently wrapped his fingers around the coffee.

"Ohhh, you're my favorite person on the planet right now, _thank you_," he said fervently, taking a sip of the scalding drink. Magnus smiled, bemused, as he placed his bag in the chair next to him and slid into the seat across from Alec.

"Just right now?" Magnus teased, pulling out his laptop. "I'll have to try harder."

Alec hid his blush behind the coffee cup as he tilted it back again. This little crush he'd developed on Magnus was absurd. The older boy was never far from his mind, and Alec found himself daydreaming "what if"s more than he'd ever done before. It was embarrassing, really - he couldn't get through a class or a practice or even a meal without thinking of Magnus or looking around for him on the quad or in the dining hall. Each time, he caught himself and gave himself a mental kick to remind himself that there was no way Magnus would ever be interested in someone like him. But sometimes, when the senior was sitting next to him or across the table or even just reading a text from him, Alec allowed a tiny glimmer of hope to bloom in his mind.

"How did your auditions go?" Alec asked, tearing into the chocolate croissant that Magnus had pushed towards him.

"Surprisingly well," Magnus admitted, taking a sip of his tea. "I've worked with this director before, so I was less nervous going into it than I usually am. But anything's possible, really. Callbacks will be announced on Sunday, so I'll find out more then."

"What will happen then?"

Magnus shrugged and opened his laptop. "Hopefully, I get called back to read for a role. And if not, I'll have far more free time this semester than I'll know what to do with," he added with a little smile.

"Of course you'll get called back," Alec retorted, almost offended at the suggestion that he wouldn't. "You've got a reputation to uphold, remember? You'll definitely get it."

"Your blind faith in my acting abilities is overwhelming," Magnus teased, smirking at him. "Are you looking forward to the game this weekend? First of the season, right?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm excited for it," Alec said. "The other team isn't fantastic, so we have a pretty good shot at winning."

"Especially with such a stellar quarterback at the helm."

"Well, I mean, I hope anyway, but I guess we'll find out for sure on Saturday," Alec mumbled, staring down at the coffee.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Alexander," Magnus told him, slender fingers wrapped around his tea latte. "Your coach saw something in you that made him choose you to start over what's-his-face -"

"Raj."

"Whoever," Magnus said, waving his hand dismissively. "If you can't manage to believe in yourself, believe in everyone else who does believe in you, because there's a multitude of us cheering you on." He leaned backwards in his seat as he crossed his long legs, one over the other, and took a sip of his drink. "I, for one, can't wait to see you play this weekend."

"But... you don't like sports," Alec pointed out, startled. "You're going to be there?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, darling," Magnus responded softly, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at him. Alec stared back, his face heating at the warmth in Magnus's gaze; realizing his mouth had fallen open at some point, he snapped it closed and quickly picked up his coffee.

"Alec!"

Jace's voice was unmistakable, echoing out across the dining hall. Alec froze mid-swig, staring at his brother as he jogged between the mostly-empty tables towards them. Magnus set down his tea and glanced up at Jace as he clapped a hand on Alec's shoulder.

"What's up, bro, why didn't you - oh, shit, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." Alec did his best to melt into the floor as Jace took exaggerated steps backwards, his hands up in surrender. Magnus glanced at Alec, amusement glittering in his eyes, and Alec just hoped beyond belief that his face wasn't as red as it felt.

"No interruption at all, really," Magnus said smoothly, extending his hand. "Magnus. Alec and I take writing together."

"Oh, riiiiiight, the writing partner!" Jace exclaimed, wide-eyed, and honestly, it was a good thing they were roommates because Alec was going to smother him in his sleep tonight. "I'm Jace, Alec's brother, roommate, teammate, confidant -"

"Village idiot," Alec muttered, glaring at him.

"Anyway, I was just going to get some work done, which Alec and I normally do together, but I'll just go over there," Jace continued, grinning. "On the other side of the caf. Just to give you guys some quiet."

"Quiet would be appreciated," Alec interjected blandly.

"So I'll let you get to it! And by _it_, I mean writing, not -"

"Oh, my God, GO!" Alec shouted as Magnus burst out laughing. Jace shot him finger-guns before strolling over to a table on the other side of the hall, giving him a big thumbs-up as Alec groaned and carded a hand through his hair.

"Your brother thinks he's rather entertaining, doesn't he?" Magnus asked, still chuckling.

"Let's see how funny he thinks he is after I replace his shampoo with super glue," Alec muttered darkly.

"I'd say he'd probably still think he was funny," Magnus commented, smirking. "Now, you seem like you're in despair. What's going on?"

"I have nothing for this assignment. Like, _literally_ nothing," Alec mumbled, dropping his face into his hands. "I'm apparently incapable of developing characters that don't suck."

Magnus said nothing and reached out to slide Alec's laptop towards him to peruse the document open on the screen. He scrolled through the document for a few minutes as Alec watched nervously.

"So... I don't think you have _literally_ nothing here," Magnus spoke up finally, pointing at the laptop screen with one bejeweled finger.

"Next to nothing then," Alec grumbled.

"Darling, I think you're suffering from a distinct lack of direction," the senior told him, propping his chin on his hand. "It seems like you're trying to write these high and mighty, very proper characters and that's not where your interests lie. It's no wonder you've been struggling with the assignment - you're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and there's no possible way that will ever work." He fixed Alec with a steady gaze. "What types of books do you enjoy reading? Or, rather, what types of characters do you enjoy reading about?"

"Uh... I don't know, I mean, I like mysteries, thrillers, action-type books," Alec mumbled, glancing down at the table. If he told Magnus the types of books he really enjoyed reading, he would think Alec was the biggest dork on the planet. Alec's guilty pleasure reading was a good fantasy book, a sci-fi, even one of the young adult novels he kept stocked on his Kindle. After a moment, Magnus leaned over and pulled out his laptop, tapping at the keyboard a few times before he pushed his laptop over to Alec.

"These are my characters," he said, scrolling through the document. "I've got a rather snarky ancient god, a modern-day cheerleader, and a warrior-in-training who also happens to be from a different planet. You're the creator here, Alexander. No one's going to judge you if you decide to create a wizard or a werewolf or a full race of people who fight demons or something. The world is, quite literally, your oyster. Don't be so afraid of judgment that you box yourself in to write characters you don't care about, because then your readers won't care about them either."

Alec stared up at Magnus, his mouth hanging open the tiniest bit. "How do you always know exactly what to say?" he demanded without thinking.

Magnus just smiled at him and gave him a wink as he pulled his laptop back towards himself. "Give it a shot, Alexander," he responded instead. "Just trying coming up with some character that could theoretically be in a book that you actually enjoy."

Alec caught sight of Jace on the far side of the dining hall, grinning broadly as he blatantly watched Magnus and Alec sitting together. Alec grabbed at his laptop and pulled it back towards himself, biting the inside of his lip to hide a smile when Magnus stole a bit of the pastry lying on the flattened bag next to them. Given his constant preoccupation, he'd need to make sure his characters didn't all end up as a pathetic imitation of Magnus.

* * *

Alec gritted his teeth as he lay back on the floor of the weights room after the game Saturday night, his breath hissing in his throat as his hamstring pulled tight. His blood was still surging in his veins after their win that night, aided - not that he would ever admit it - by the congratulatory texts he'd received from Magnus after the game. He'd received messages from his parents, Isabelle, Clary, Simon, and a few other friends, but the texts from Magnus were the only ones that made his heart race.

The only thing preventing him from soaring off into the clouds was the hit he'd taken in the fourth quarter. The opposing player had come at him out of nowhere, tackling into him the turf with the force of a speeding train. Alec's head had slammed back into the ground and it took a few extra seconds for him to be able to suck in a breath and clear the stars bursting in front of his eyes. His teammate, Victor Aldertree, had been at his side moments later, a smarmy smirk on his face as he held out his hand for Alec to grasp. Alec glared at him as the junior pulled him to his feet - Starkweather had assigned Aldertree to help defend Alec, but, considering Raj was his roommate, clearly Aldertree had other plans. Alec had waved off the coach and trainers as he walked off the slight limp. He'd still managed to pull off the win, but his muscle felt like it was twisted tighter than one of Izzy's hair ties and it was beyond frustrating that it was causing him so much trouble after so much time.

"Alexander?"

Alec's head snapped up from the floor and stared at the door in disbelief as Magnus tapped on the doorframe, smiling softly down at him, casually dressed in slim dark jeans and a charcoal grey henley. "What... what are you doing here?" he stammered, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"I could ask you the same question," Magnus ventured, strolling into the room. "You just led the team to victory in the first game of the year - I expected you to tell me you were out at a wild football party or to just not respond to my text at all."

"I wouldn't ever just _not_ respond to your text," Alec responded, slightly offended at the thought.

"But instead, your text said you were going to stretch for a bit and here you are, in the gym by yourself at almost midnight on a Saturday night. What's wrong, darling?"

Alec pulled in his legs with a wince and wrapped his arms around his knees. "Nothing's wrong," he muttered.

"Alexander, come on now," Magnus scoffed, settling to the floor in front of Alec. "I could tell from a mile away that hit was _rough_. Are you hurt?"

Alec sighed and rubbed one hand over his eyes. "It's just a pulled muscle, that's all. It's nothing serious."

"Is this the same muscle pull that you had on the first day of classes?" Magnus asked, eyeing him critically.

"It's fine, really."

"You're not resting, are you? Letting it heal?"

Alec looked over at Magnus, his eyes skipping over the senior as he stretched out on the floor, long legs crossed at the ankle. "I can't," he whispered. "Resting means missing workouts, practices, games. I just have to... deal with it, at least through the end of the season."

Magnus gazed over at him contemplatively for a few moments before he nodded slowly. "I get that," he said quietly. "Expectations are a heavy responsibility, no matter where they're coming from. But if that's the case, you can at least take care of yourself and stretch it out," he added as he stood smoothly and walked over to the corner of the room, plucking two of the hard foam rollers from the pile.

"I _hate_ those things," Alec stated vehemently as Magnus returned. "They hurt like hell."

"How long have you spent on them?"

"Ideally, no more than a few seconds at a time."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Then you're not using it properly. Come on, let's get you stretched out."

"What?!"

"You heard me," Magnus said, holding out one of the rollers. "The least I can do is make sure you stretch so your muscles don't lock up on you. And I'll show you how to use this thing properly." He dropped back down to the ground and placed the roller underneath his calves, motioning for Alec to do the same.

"Magnus, you really don't have to do this," Alec told him hesitantly. "I'm sure you have better things to do with your night."

"This right here is the only plan for my night. Let's go, Cheekbones, you're not getting out of this."

Alec rolled his eyes, but he still couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. He reluctantly positioned the roller under his calves, following Magnus's example when he propped himself up to roll back and forth.

"Fuck _me_, this hurts," Alec gasped when Magnus instructed him to cross one ankle over the other, placing all of his weight into his right calf.

"Keep going, Alexander," Magnus told him - rather ruthlessly, in Alec's opinion. "The more you foam roll, the more it works tightness out of your muscles, and the better you'll feel in the long run."

Alec bit back the bitchy response that threatened to burst out when the foam roller slid over the side of his calf, pressing deep into the muscle. "How do you know about foam rollers?" he spat out, grinding his teeth together to stop himself from leaping to his feet.

"Yoga, pilates, generally working out and taking care of myself post-workout," Magnus commented, waving one hand expansively. Alec glared at him at the off-handed response, although he couldn't really rebuff it - they'd already established that Alec _didn't_ take care of himself after his workouts; otherwise, he wouldn't be in this position. Bit by bit, he realized his muscles were actually beginning to loosen up and he rolled his ankle without it cracking for the first time in weeks. He looked sharply up at Magnus to see the older boy already watching him, a knowing smirk on his lips.

"So what else do you have going on this weekend?" Alec asked in an attempt to distract himself from the ache of his muscles as they were battered by the foam roller.

"Up to your hamstrings now, Alexander. Be sure to take this slow given your injury," Magnus instructed, clearly refusing to let Alec out of actually taking care of himself. Alec followed the order, sucking in a sharp gasp as he settled the foam roller underneath his injured hamstring, closing his eyes for a minute as his muscle screamed for help. "And I volunteer on Sundays, so I'll be heading to that around noon or so. And then hopefully I'll find out about callbacks."

"You volunteer?" Alec demanded, his eyes popping open. "Where?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised, Alexander," Magnus responded with a cheeky grin. "I spend time at a children's home on the edge of the city. They're all awaiting adoption or foster placement, so I go and spend a few hours with them every Sunday - reading, coloring with them, playing games. I've gone every Sunday that I'm on campus since about a month into my freshman year."

"That's... really incredible of you," Alec told him softly, staring over at him.

"You're welcome to join me, if you want," Magnus offered with a smile. "I'd be happy to drive you over, and the kids would certainly welcome someone else who wants to spend time with them."

"I - yeah, actually. I'd really enjoy that," Alec responded as he was finally able to move incrementally over the roller, nearly groaning in relief at the deep pressure to his injured hamstring. He was half-convinced he was able to actually feel the muscle beginning to stretch out and properly knit back together, though he'd never admit to Magnus that he was right. Judging by the smug look on the senior's face as he watched Alec, he knew it anyway.

"Wonderful! Now... keep moving, darling, you're not getting out of this."

* * *

_Good morning, Alexander! Still up for some volunteering today?_

Alec hid his smile in his pillow as he read Magnus's text, stretching out under his blanket. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he'd woken up actually rested. His hamstring still tugged a bit, but overall, he felt great, none of his typical soreness present. Damn foam roller. He flopped onto his side and tapped out his response with one finger.

_Definitely! When and where do you want to meet?_

He sighed heavily before sitting up and rolling out of bed. He spared Jace's empty bed a glance - his brother must have spent the night with Clary - and grabbed his towel, heading to the bathroom down the hall for a quick shower. When he returned to his room, he dropped his towel onto the floor and picked up his phone.

_Noon, outside the arts building?_

Alec checked the time and swore when he realized that was in about fifteen minutes. Holy shit, he _never_ slept in this late - he'd never been one to lazily lounge in his bed, but apparently that foam roller had stretched out a few of his brain cells as well as his muscles. He sent back a quick affirmative and sprang into action, dressing quickly in jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt before inhaling a protein bar and brushing his teeth. With just minutes to spare, he grabbed his phone and sprinted out to the arts building, arriving just as Magnus strolled around the corner.

"Ready to go?" the senior greeted him with a warm smile.

"Yeah... yeah, definitely," Alec responded breathlessly as Magnus led him into the parking lot. "Wait, hold the _fuck_ up... _this_ is your car?!" he demanded, circling the sleek black Audi that Magnus had just unlocked. "You're a college student, how is this your car?!"

"Ah... family inheritance," Magnus admitted, clearly embarrassed as he opened the driver's side door. "I'm not usually prone to extravagant purchases, but this... this was the one exception."

"This is fucking gorgeous, holy shit," Alec gasped, his hand hovering over the door handle on the passenger's side. Magnus glanced up at him and smiled.

"You can open the door, you know," he said with a smirk as he slid into the driver's seat. Alec pulled the door open, lightning-fast, and hopped into the car. "I have to say, Alexander, I didn't really take you for a car aficionado."

"I'm normally not," Alec replied, sliding his hand over the leather interior as Magnus shifted the vehicle into gear and pulled out of the parking spot. "But this is a seriously sexy car," he added, glancing over at Magnus with a wide grin.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but we won't exactly be in a position to test out its capabilities in the fifteen minutes between campus and the children's home," Magnus teased, guiding the car through the campus streets.

"...maybe we could make it in twelve?" Alec asked innocently. Magnus looked over at him as they waited at the red traffic light leading out of campus. Alec looked back at him, his heart stuttering when a slow grin spread across Magnus's face. _Goddamn, he's so fucking hot._ The light turned green.

They made it in nine.

"Well?" Magnus prompted when he turned the car off.

"That was fucking _awesome_," Alec exclaimed, bursting into laughter. Magnus grinned as he chuckled at Alec's boyish response.

"I'm endlessly glad that I'm here to entertain you," Magnus told him, smiling happily. "Now, let's go, Alexander. The children await."

He slid sinuously from the driver's seat while Alec scrambled out like a gangly pre-teen, and they met at the steps leading up to the front porch of the house. Magnus opened the front door, waving Alec in behind him as he called out, "Charlotte? It's Magnus, and I've brought a friend to help wrangle some _little demons!_" He gave a mock roar as he bent over, catching a little boy hurtling through the hallway around the waist and swinging him around.

"Magnus is here!" the boy shrieked, cackling excitedly as Magnus tucked him underneath his arm.

"I am indeed! And this is my friend Alec, he wanted to come see you all too," Magnus said, looking up at Alec with a smile. The boy squirmed out of Magnus's grip and peered up at Alec, clearly giving him a close examination.

"You're tall," he said finally before he sprinted off on stubby legs.

"That was Ash," Magnus explained, his voice warm as he pulled off his jacket and hanging it in the front hall closet. "Seven years old and an absolute menace." He reached out and placed a hand on Alec's arm. "All of these kids have been hurt in some way - abandoned by their birth parents, abused in a previous foster home, removed from their birth homes for one reason or another. Charlotte works wonders with these kids, but they're slow to warm up to new people, so they may not be that open to you right away."

"I totally get that," Alec breathed, caught by the care and sincerity in Magnus's eyes. "I can win them over. I'm patient."

Magnus smiled at him and Alec's veins turned into liquid mush at the warmth in his gaze. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Charlotte and some of the kids."

Alec followed Magnus further into the house, stepping over Legos and Barbie dolls strewn over the floors, before they emerged in an expansive kitchen, wide windows lending a host of natural sunlight to the space. In the corner of the room was a door leading to a large backyard with a swingset in one corner and a sandbox in another. Standing in front of the refrigerator was a petite woman with light brown hair piled on top of her head engaged in a heated debate with Ash about apple slices versus Oreos as a proper lunch side dish.

"Oh, Magnus! Maybe you can talk some sense into this one here," she exclaimed exasperatedly even as she ruffled Ash's hair fondly before he raced outside.

"I can certainly try, although I make no promises," Magnus told her as she gave him a quick hug. "Charlotte, this is my friend Alexander. I hope it's all right that I just brought him by without checking with you first."

"Magnus, dear, you know that any friend of yours is a friend of ours," she said, giving a surprised Alec a quick hug. "We don't have anything specific set up for today, although I know the kids were hoping you were going to be here to paint with them - they were _thrilled_ with those watercolor sets you brought last week."

"Then painting we shall do," Magnus called out as a little girl screeched his name and grabbed his hand, dragging him outside.

"He's an angel, seriously," Charlotte told Alec in an undertone. "He's just so good with these kids and they _love_ him. It's selfish of me because he's so much better than Alicante, but I almost hope he stays in the area so the kids can keep seeing him." She fluttered her hands in the air. "But what am I saying, you're not here to listen to me chatter. I'll let you get outside - he'll probably need all the help he can get!"

She bustled off, leaving Alec to make his way out into the sunshine of the backyard. He felt a flutter of nerves as he stared around at all of the children in the yard, playing in the grass, building sandcastles in the sandbox, or surrounding Magnus as he helped them set up little easels. Alec watched for a moment, smiling to himself as the senior managed to organize all of them into a circle, calming the excited chatter with just a few words. One of the older children was walking around the circle, pouring water into little cups to prepare them all for their watercolor masterpieces. Magnus spotted Alec standing just outside the kitchen door and grinned at him, glancing over his shoulder at the group as he walked over to Alec.

"It's a bit chaotic, but they all really connect with creative activities," he explained, his eyes bright as they watched the children set up their spaces. "Even the kids that declare they hate art always want in on painting or coloring or making collages or whatever."

"And you lead them all in these activities?" Alec asked.

"As often as I can. Although they usually go off on their own and do their own thing, rather than whatever I try to have them make. One of the girls ended up making a watercolor macaroni necklace last week, even though all I gave them was paper to paint on."

"Where did she get the macaroni?"

"Not a clue," Magnus responded brightly, chuckling.

Alec's focus was caught by a little girl sitting by herself on the patio, staring down at a board game. He nudged Magnus's arm and pointed over at her. "What about her? She doesn't want to paint?"

"Oh, that's Madzie," Magnus told him quietly. "I'm not sure what she went through before she was here, but she just came to Charlotte at the beginning of the summer. She's a sweet kid, but doesn't talk much. She usually doesn't get involved in the big group activities."

Alec gazed over at her for a few moments, his heart aching as he watched her poke at one of the game pieces. "I'm gonna go say hi," he murmured, brushing past Magnus with a hand on his shoulder. He slowly walked over to Madzie, smiling at her when she looked up. "Hey, there," he greeted her softly as he carefully settled down at the little picnic table. "Whatcha got there?"

She looked up at him silently, one little fingernail scratching over the edge of the board. "I'm Alec," he told her, "and my friend Magnus told me that your name is Madzie. That's a very pretty name." A hint of wariness entered her eyes that was far too mature for a five-year-old. "Do you like Candy Land?" he asked, pointing at the board game. "I used to play _all_ the time with my little sister when we were kids, it was her favorite game. Do you want to play?"

She gave a tiny shrug with one shoulder. They sat quietly for a few minutes, Alec doing his best to not glance over at Magnus and the larger group of children, sensing that his attention was supremely important to this little girl opening up. She finally nudged the board towards him with one finger, still staring up at him. He gave her a warm smile as he reached for the deck of cards, collecting the haphazard pile into a neat stack.

"Go ahead and pick which color you want. You can choose first," Alec told her. A small flare of excitement blossomed on her face and she slowly extended her hand, little fingers wrapping around the red gingerbread player. "Red's a great color, good choice! I think I'll pick... green. How does that sound?" A quick surge of success raced through him as she nodded once. It wasn't the most enthusiastic response, but he'd take it. "Green it is, then! And now, we're off to rescue King Kandy. Do you want to pick a card first?"

She glanced up at him, almost as if she were wondering if he was serious, before she reached out, sliding the top card from the deck. He grinned, inexplicably feeling like he'd made some kind of a breakthrough, and glanced quickly over at Magnus. His heart leapt when he saw Magnus standing in the center of the circle of painters smiling back at him, one hand pressed over his heart as he watched Alec and Madzie.

Alec suddenly knew without a doubt that he was falling hard for the senior and it would likely end in heartbreak - but he would have to figure out what to do with that later. Right now, he has a treacherous quest of Candy Land ahead of him and he turned back to the game as Madzie moved her gingerbread player across the board.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL, I'VE BEEN WAITING TO POST THIS CHAPTER FOR SO LONGGGGG. Please enjoy, I adore you all. <333

After hearing about Alec joining Magnus's volunteer time, Jace hadn't shut up about "Alec and Magnus, the old married couple", especially after Alec let it slip that Magnus had shown him how to use a foam roller and was now insisting on supervising Alec using it every day. What he _didn't_ tell Jace was that those thirty minutes were the highlight of his day. He and Magnus had begun meeting up, either in the morning after Alec's practice or in the evening after classes were finished, to use the torture devices, Magnus watching in amusement as Alec groaned and winced his way through each muscle group.

Although Jace was only talking shit within the walls of their dorm room, Alec was desperately afraid that word of Jace's teasing would get back to Magnus. While his crush on the senior was nearly overwhelming, he didn't want to lose Magnus's friendship and he knew - he just _knew_ \- that would happen if the older boy found out about the poor closeted sophomore's sappy feelings. Jace finally dropped the teasing several days later after Alec had snapped at him, finally spotting the pathetic melancholy on his face.

"Dude, why don't you just take a chance?" Jace asked him as they sat at their respective desks in their room. "You guys text almost constantly, you went volunteering with him, he helps you _stretch_, for fuck's sake. Is it really that much of a reach that he likes you too?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alec muttered, glaring at his laptop and angrily punching a few keys.

"Alec, come on -"

"Please drop it," Alec asked quietly, his heart wrenching as his phone lit up with a text from the senior in question. Jace blessedly fell silent, although Alec could practically _feel_ the pity and sympathy radiating across the room from his brother as he picked up his phone.

_Cast list just went up..._

Despite the despair and longing sweeping over him, Alec nearly dropped his phone in his hurry to respond.

_And??!?!?_

Still holding his phone with one hand, he quickly opened up a new browser tab and opened up Wikipedia. Magnus had told him the other day that the fall show was a Shakespeare play - _The Tempest_. Alec's literature class his junior year in high school had a brief section on Shakespeare, but this particular show wasn't one with which he was familiar and he wanted to have the character list open so he could be appropriately excited or outraged, depending on Magnus's casting.

_You have the ultimate pleasure of befriending the mighty Prospero, darling._

Alec clicked on the character list and felt a surge of exultation race through him.

_That's the main part! You got the main part!! Magnus, that's amazing, congratulations!!!!_

_And I think this is the part where I say "I told you so"?_

He grinned down at his phone and sighed as he leaned back in his chair.

"Something happening?" Jace asked, his voice carefully neutral.

"Uh... Magnus got the main role in the fall show, a Shakespeare play," Alec told him, placing his phone back down on his desk.

"Oh, that's awesome, tell him congrats for me. Clary likes Shakespeare, I think," his brother mused innocently. "We'll, ah... we'll have to go see it when it's going on."

Alec spun in his chair to chuck a highlighter at Jace. "Don't start," he warned flatly, glaring at him.

"Ow, I wasn't starting anything! I bet he's going to be great and Clary would enjoy the show, that's all!" Jace protested, leaning over to pick up the highlighter and throw it back.

Alec rolled his eyes and turned back to his laptop, typing up a few additional sentences of his French report before his phone buzzed again.

_Thank you, darling. I should have taken my own advice and believed in those who believed in me since clearly you were right._

_Raphael was cast as Caliban - he's shouting about grumpy typecasting, but I happen to think it's rather perfect._

Alec scanned through the character list still open on his laptop and smirked - he hadn't yet met Raphael, but from what Magnus had told him of the other senior, he and Caliban seemed to be a match made in theatrical heaven.

_Yeah, that sounds about right. But don't tell him I said that, I don't want him to hate me._

_And the rest of your friends? I can't remember if you said they were auditioning too._

He scrolled back to the top of the page, skimming through the plot synopsis to familiarize himself with the show. He didn't want to sound like a total idiot if Magnus talked about the play, and Wikipedia's summary and background seemed surprisingly in-depth.

_Catarina was cast as Miranda and Ragnor is Antonio. Tessa and Jem didn't audition, but they'll inevitably be working on one of the backstage crews._

_Camille was also cast as Ariel, so that'll be a bit terrible having a bunch of scenes with her, but nothing to worry about._

An irrational flare of jealousy sparked in Alec's chest at the mention of Magnus's ex, which was _ridiculous_ because Alec had literally no reason whatsoever to be jealous of Magnus or Camille or Magnus-and-Camille or any other combination or lack thereof. _Maybe you would if you took a shot at telling him you like him._

Alec gave himself a mental kick. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

He hesitated for a moment before he pulled up another tab and searched for the play, pleasantly surprised when he found the entire script online. He clicked on the link and rested his chin on his hand, elbow propped on his desk, as he began to read through the first scene with a furrowed brow. _What the actual fuck are some of these words?_ He quickly switched to a split screen, the script on the left side of his monitor and Google open on the right so he could search for each word he didn't know.

"Are you reading the Shakespeare play?"

Alec swiveled sideways in his chair to see Jace standing behind him holding a box of granola bars from the bucket of food they kept on top of their mini-fridge.

"I was just curious what it was about," he retorted a bit defensively.

To his surprise, Jace's only response was to toss a bar at him before sitting back down at his desk. "Whatever you say, buddy," he said, plugging his headphones into his laptop. "I still think you should tell him."

"Jace -"

"No, actually, you know what? I'm not gonna stop," his brother said suddenly, spinning around in his chair to glare at Alec. "You've taken on this eternally suffering persona, thinking you can't ever be happy, but bro, you _fucking can_. Is it going to require taking a chance? Yes. Is it possible he doesn't like you like that? Yes, but is it also fucking possible that he _does_ like you? _Yes_, and I fucking _hate_ that you think you don't deserve that."

Alec stared back at Jace, shocked into silence at the vehemence in his brother's voice.

"You need to do what makes you happy," Jace told him, his tone quieting. "Maryse and Robert might be dicks about it at first, but the rest of us? The rest of your family? Your friends? We _want_ you to be happy, Alec. We want you to find someone to love and who loves you back. You deserve that more than anyone else I know. But you've _gotta_ take that first step, otherwise you'll never know and you'll just be _stuck_."

Tears suddenly sprang to Alec's eyes and he stared down at his knees, desperately willing them to go away. He wanted to believe what Jace was saying so _bad_, he wanted to believe that there was someone out there meant to love him - the fabled "soulmate" - but knowing what he did of the world, he was terrified of being trampled into the ground. It was easier to just keep his heart closed off, protected behind a high wall of stone and barbed wire. At least, it _had_ been easier... until he met Magnus.

A tear slipped free of his control and he wiped it away with a savage swipe, pressing his lips tightly together to hide the trembling. Then Jace was there in front of him on one knee, wrapping his arms around Alec's shoulders and pulling him close. Alec squeezed his eyes shut as he buried his face in Jace's shoulder and let the tears fall.

* * *

The following Sunday night, Alec tentatively walked through the entrance to the theatre, glancing around at the framed posters on the walls as he walked around the short hallway leading into the theatre itself. "Magnus?"

The man in question looked up from the stage as Alec stepped around the corner to stop at the top of the stairs. Alec's mouth went dry as he took in Magnus's appearance, the most casual he'd ever seen him in loose, paint-splattered sweatpants and a fitted black tank top, showing off biceps clearly visible even from across the theatre. "Alexander, what are you doing here?"

"Uh..." Alec blinked quickly, clearing his throat as he glanced down and began walking carefully down the stairs towards the stage. The last thing he needed to do was to trip on one of these stupidly wide steps in the darkened theatre and break a leg or something because he was staring at Magnus. "You mentioned earlier that you were going to be here by yourself, and I just, I don't know, I thought I'd keep you company or something." His heart beat just a bit faster at his words - the truth was actually that Jace had thrown him out of their room, sick of his moping and pining, shouting at him, _"Go take a fucking chance, you dumb bitch!"_ while throwing a shoe at him. Alec had hurled the shoe back at him and flipped him off before stomping out of the dorm, irritable and anxious and with only one destination on his mind - Magnus.

The senior smiled warmly at him as he stopped at the foot of the stage, crouching down to meet his gaze. "Well, in that case, I'd gladly welcome your company. But if you're here... I'm also putting you to work," he added, his smile sliding into that smirk that always made Alec's mind go fuzzy. He held out a hand and Alec took it without thinking, letting himself be hauled onto the stage, careful to step over the sweatshirt dangling over the edge that Magnus had discarded.

"Yeah, I can totally do work." He looked around at the various set pieces positioned around the stage. "What exactly am I doing work on?"

"Painting, Cheekbones." Magnus handed him a long-handled roller and knelt down to carefully pour more black paint into an already stained pan. "Before each show, we paint the floor pieces with a flat black base before they get repainted for whatever the set requires and scuffed up in rehearsals and such. I usually volunteer to paint - I find it rather calming, working by myself with just a bit of music playing."

"Are you sure you want me here, then?" Alec asked. "I mean, if you find it calming working by yourself -"

"I assure you, it'll be much more enjoyable to have you by my side," Magnus interrupted, throwing a wink his way as he dipped his own roller in the paint. Alec's eyes zeroed in on the flex of Magnus's arms as he coated the roller, quickly clearing his throat and looking away when the other boy straightened.

"So, um, I'm just like... painting these?" Alec asked, waving his rollers at the set pieces.

"Exactly. It's fairly mindless work," the senior told him, turning his attention back to the set piece on which he'd been working when Alec arrived.

"But calming?" Alec dipped his roller into the pan, covering it with a thin layer of black paint.

"Very. For me, anyway," Magnus amended with a smile. They worked side by side for nearly an hour, a soothing Spotify playlist quietly drifting through the air. Alec's heart thudded painfully each time he snuck a peek at Magnus, his eyes constantly drawn to the taut stretch of the other boy's arms, seized with the sudden desire to kiss his way across the cut line of his biceps. His stupid crush was insanely distracting, and he kept fighting back the sudden urge to launch himself onto Magnus.

"Thank you for letting me tag along again to see the kids today," Alec said suddenly, breaking the silence as he paused to pull his own hoodie over his head, dropping it next to Magnus's at the edge of the stage.

"Well, thank _you_ for joining me," Magnus responded, looking over at him. "It seems Madzie's taken quite a liking to you."

Alec smiled as he remembered the little girl and how she was slowly opening up to him. "She's a really sweet kid. Very serious about her board games," he commented lightly, dipping his roller into the paint. "And the other kids looked like they were having fun with your sing-alongs."

"They do love singing at the top of their lungs," Magnus mused with a crooked grin. "I'll probably never be able to get 'Baby Shark' out of my head, but it's worth it if I can help brighten their day a tiny bit, even for a little while."

"You brighten everyone's day way more than a tiny bit," Alec blurted out without thinking. Magnus suddenly straightened up and looked over at him, his eyes wide as he stared at Alec. Like the awkward dork that he was, Alec stared back at him before abruptly spinning and aggressively painting the set piece in front of him. It was a few long moments before he heard Magnus resume his own painting.

They finally finished the last set piece together, Alec's dumbass comment seemingly forgotten as they snickered and giggled, purposefully knocking into each other's rollers, each painting over the strip of paint that the other had just laid down. Alec helped Magnus clean up the paint cans, rollers, and pans, restocking everything back into the giant storage room the theatre department used to hold all of their building and design materials. He stared open-mouthed around the room at the seemingly endless stacks of wood, fabric, paint, and foam until Magnus teasingly tapped his chin closed with a finger. Blushing, Alec followed him back out onto the stage to survey their work. Magnus dropped gracefully down onto the front of the stage, the only section not covered by a newly-painted set piece, stretching out on his back and reaching for his phone. Alec's heart ached as he gazed down at him, trying to ignore how adorable Magnus was with a faint smudge of black paint along his jawline.

"You're allowed to sit down, you know," Magnus told him, glancing up at him around the screen. Alec rolled his eyes and lowered himself to sit next to him, arms hugging his knees as Magnus tapped away on his phone. "Ragnor is demanding to know when I'll be done painting. Apparently, there's a fierce game of Trivial Pursuit raging in my house and his team is losing."

"...oh." Alec tried to hide the disappointment in his voice at the news that Magnus would soon be leaving now that they were finished.

"He can wait, though." Alec looked down at Magnus and bit the inside of his cheek when he saw Magnus staring back at him, his eyes unreadable in the darkness of the theatre. Alec opened his mouth to say something, anything, before snapping it closed and shifting his gaze down towards his knees. He'd spent twenty years hiding his emotions and feelings and now that he actually _wanted_ to express them, the words refused to surface.

"Alec..." He looked over at Magnus just in time to see the senior's phone slip from his hand, still positioned over his face, the corner of the phone landing directly on his cheekbone. "Ow, fuck!" Magnus clapped his hand over his eye, bursting into laughter as Alec flipped over onto his knees to lean over him without a second thought. "I guess that's what I deserve for laying here holding my phone above my face," he commented ruefully. Alec grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from his face.

"Lemme take a look," he urged, his fingers hovering over the faint red mark on Magnus's cheek. "Last thing we want is the lead actor breaking his eye socket or something."

"Why, Alexander, I had no idea you had medical training," Magnus teased as Alec gently pressed on the mark.

"Not even remotely," Alec responded, grinning, "but my freshman year in high school, a kid broke a bone in his cheek when he ran into a goalpost during soccer practice. He let a whole bunch of us feel the bone before the principal flipped her shit on us for 'exacerbating the break', she said. Feeling the bone shift around was one of the weirdest things I've ever felt - pretty much impossible to forget, which now lends itself well to figuring out if you've got a problem or not."

"He just _let_ you press on his broken bone?!" Magnus demanded as Alec continued to palpate the skin below his eye and over his cheekbone.

"We were fifteen; we were idiots," Alec admitted, shrugging. His mouth went dry when he suddenly realized just how close he was to Magnus. He'd leaned closer to the other boy without even thinking, close enough to feel the delicate puffs of air as they left Magnus's mouth.

"'Were'?" Magnus echoed teasingly, all while staring wide-eyed up at him. Alec's close proximity to Magnus was making his imagination go wild - if he didn't know better, he'd swear Magnus's fingers were brushing over the back of his arm, ghosting over his skin.

"Trying not to be anymore," Alec murmured. He let his fingers brush over Magnus's cheek and leaned ever-so-slightly closer. "I think you're okay, though."

"No break?"

"No break," Alec repeated faintly. _Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance, _this_ is my fucking chance._ He swallowed hard, throwing caution and hesitation into the wind, and slipped his fingers into the silky-soft hair just behind Magnus's ear. "I, um... I really want to kiss you," he whispered in an almost inaudible confession. Magnus's eyes widened further and his gaze briefly darted down to Alec's lips.

"I'm not stopping you," he breathed.

_Holyfuckingshit._

Alec lowered himself, his chest just barely touching Magnus's, as he leaned towards Magnus, diverting at the last second to brush a kiss against the corner of his mouth. He felt a shaky exhale against his cheek and squeezed his eyes shut as he shifted the tiniest bit and finally, _finally_, Magnus's lips were pressed against his own, soft and tentative. Alec threaded his fingers further into Magnus's hair and tilted his face up, their lips fitting together perfectly as Magnus's hands slid down to settle on Alec's waist, his palms spreading wide over the fabric of Alec's shirt. Alec lowered his other arm to get closer to Magnus, his forearm resting on the stage just above Magnus's shoulder, and Magnus curled his fingers in Alec's shirt, tugging him closer. This was _real_ and it was _happening_ and, granted, Alec had approximately zero experience kissing anyone, but fucking _hell_, Magnus was an incredible kisser.

Magnus's tongue brushed against Alec's lower lip and fireworks erupted around them when Alec opened his mouth to him, the slick glide of their tongues igniting an explosion in Alec's chest. His nails scraped through Magnus's hair as his fingers flexed, an aborted whimper catching in his throat when Magnus raised his knee to press against the outside of Alec's thigh. He broke away from Magnus with a gasp, pressing his forehead against Magnus's before stealing another breathless kiss.

Magnus stared up at him, a slow smile spreading across his face as his hands slid up Alec's back. "I've wanted to do that for ages," he murmured, his eyes warm. Alec couldn't stop his own excited grin at his words.

"No need to stop now," he whispered giddily, recapturing Magnus's mouth, his head spinning as his senses filled with everything distinctly _Magnus_.

A door suddenly slamming open and an irritable voice echoing from the far end of the theatre startled them both out of their reverie. They stared at each other wide-eyed for half a second before they sprang into motion, snatching up their long-discarded sweatshirts and scrambling off-stage and out of sight, euphoric giggles decorating their movements when Magnus reached for Alec's hand and tugged him along. They hurtled into the wings of the stage, stifling their laughter against skin and shirts even as they grinned gleefully at each other.

"Magnus?"

"Shit, it's Ragnor," Magnus hissed, his lips against Alec's ear as they hovered just behind the drawn curtain. "He's probably pissed I didn't immediately go home after his text; he _hates_ losing."

"Magnus, where are you? Stupid bugger, I should just call him, this is bloody ridiculous."

Magnus's eyes suddenly widened. "Fuck, my phone, I left my phone on the stage, if he calls it, he'll know I'm still here!" Alec spun around, his gaze instantly landing on the device laying abandoned where they'd been lounging before they were interrupted.

"Stay here," he hissed, not bothering to wait for an answer before he strode casually onto the stage, muttering loudly to himself, "My phone, my phone, it's got to be around here somewhere, where in the wide world did I leave it - ah-ha!" he announced triumphantly, bending over to pluck the phone from the floor, his lips twitching as he heard Magnus's stifled snickers from backstage.

"Who are - hold on, aren't you Magnus's quarterback?" Ragnor called out suspiciously.

"I - wait, Magnus's _what?_" Alec nearly spun to stare accusingly at Magnus, remembering at the last second that they were trying to hide from Ragnor rather than point a neon sign at the missing-in-action senior.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

_Definitely filing _that_ away for a later conversation,_ Alec thought, eager to find out exactly what that moniker meant. "I, ah... I was helping Magnus earlier painting the... things here," he explained, gesturing vaguely at the set pieces on the stage. "I left my phone, so I came back to find it," he added, giving an aborted wave with the phone, holding the the shimmery case facing towards him, before he shoved it into his pocket.

"...that's your phone?"

"Yep," Alec responded, popping the 'p'.

"Where's Magnus?" Ragnor demanded, his eyes narrowing.

"Magnus? Uhh... no idea. He mentioned, like, going for a walk, I think?" Alec scratched at his hair and made a big deal of trying to remember, refusing to even glance over at Magnus off-stage.

"...a walk."

"...anyway, I should get going. Lots of quarterback-y things to do!" Alec said brightly, stepping towards the side of the stage. "Good luck finding Magnus!" He gave the suspicious senior a hearty wave before walking briskly across the stage, breaking into a run as he reached the curtain and grinning when he saw Magnus collapsed against a podium in silent laughter. He scooped an arm around Magnus's waist as he rushed backstage, his heart feeling light enough to fly as he spun them around.

"My hero," Magnus whispered, his arms slung around Alec's shoulders as he was lowered back to the ground and they stumbled backwards away from the bright light of the stage.

"I really want to kiss you again," Alec breathed, his hands pressed tight against Magnus's lower back.

"You don't have to ask every - _mmph!_" Magnus's chuckle broke off when Alec ducked his head, pressing his lips against the older boy's again. The thought that this was, easily and without a doubt, the best day of his life rattled around his mind as he kissed Magnus. _God_, he hoped this wasn't a one-time thing. His heart might just break if Magnus wasn't actually interested in him.

"Magnus, get the bloody hell out here!"

"Oh, come the _fuck_ on!" Magnus hissed in exasperation, tearing his lips away from Alec's with a frustrated groan. He grabbed Alec's hand again, lacing their fingers together, and pulled him towards a door in the corner of the backstage area. "This way, come on."

Their escape was significantly less subtle and smooth than it could have been, as the two of them couldn't seem to go more than five feet without grabbing at each other to steal another kiss, pressing against walls and doors, tripping over everything in their paths, breathless giggles against each other's lips. They finally made their way through a maze of hallways and burst out of the building into the parking lot, Alec's ear-to-ear grin mirrored on Magnus's face in the bright moonlight of the night. Fingers still twisted together, Magnus pushed Alec back against the rough brick of the building. Alec's mouth opened the instant Magnus's lips landed on his and he pulled his hands from Magnus's grip to wrap around his hips. Magnus hummed against his mouth and kissed a line across Alec's jaw before he pulled back and swept a hand through Alec's hair.

"About time you made a move," he whispered, his lips curled in a faint smirk. Alec's smile widened further, if that was even possible, his mind overwhelmed at the feel of Magnus pressed against him, filling his arms, overtaking his senses.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he murmured as Magnus dropped another light kiss onto his lips.

"I suppose I can find it in me to forgive you."

They quieted in the shadows of the building, exchanging slow kisses as night crept along. Magnus's fingers brushed along Alec's cheek and jaw, the barely-there touches sending shivers down his spine as their mouths moved together. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, and he wouldn't have been surprised if Magnus had been able to feel it through the thin fabric of their shirts.

"So, wait a fucking minute here," Alec interrupted, suddenly tearing himself away from Magnus, his hands pressed against Magnus's back, holding the senior against his chest even as he mock-glared down at him. "'Magnus's quarterback'?"

Magnus groaned and dropped his forehead down onto Alec's shoulder. "I'm going to murder Ragnor, the traitorous bastard," he muttered darkly. Alec grinned down at him, a moment of supreme bravado lending him the courage to sneak his thumbs underneath the hem of Magnus's shirt to drift over the warm skin of what felt like absurdly toned abs.

"Why, Magnus Bane, have you been talking about me?" he teased. Magnus lifted his head, one eyebrow raised sky-high as he fixed Alec with a skeptical look.

"Oh, and I'm sure if we called Jace right now, we'd determine that you've said nothing whatsoever about me to your brother, roommate, teammate, confidant, vill -"

"You know, on second thought, I don't necessarily think we need to examine that too closely," Alec interrupted him, curling his hand around the back of Magnus's neck and abruptly pulling him into another kiss as Magnus laughed against his lips. Magnus's arms wrapped around Alec's shoulders, holding him steady on the ground when all Alec wanted to do was soar off into the stars.

All too soon, Magnus pulled back, smiling softly up at Alec as his hands drifted down his back. "We should probably go," he said quietly. "It's late and you've got practice much too early in the morning."

Alec grimaced, wishing desperately he could pause time to stay forever in that moment. "I suppose," he sighed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Magnus's phone, handing it to him. Magnus leaned against him, teeth nipping at Alec's lower lip.

"Get some sleep, darling," he whispered. "Think of me."

"Always," Alec responded immediately, sinking into another deep kiss.

Ten minutes later, they finally stepped away from the wall of the building to go their separate ways. Magnus caught Alec's hand and tugged him back for another kiss, both of them grinning through it. He pushed Alec away, a smirk dancing over his lips, and they each made it about twenty feet before Alec spun and sprinted back over to him, catching him with one arm around his waist to steal a dizzying, lingering kiss. "_Go_, Alexander," Magnus insisted finally, laughing against Alec's lips and stepping away, his fingers brushing over Alec's chest before dropping to his side. They backed away from each other, thoroughly unwilling to look away until the last possible moment, at which point Magnus crooked one finger at Alec, wishing him a silent goodnight. Alec's heart swelled and he grinned down at the sidewalk as he finally turned away to walk home.

He was halfway back to his dorm, feeling like he was walking amongst the clouds, when his phone buzzed.

_I like seeing you smile like that._

Alec smiled like that, dorky and carefree and just _happy_, and tapped out a reply.

_I like seeing you laugh like that._

Less than a minute later, he lifted his phone again.

_I like kissing you._

Alec's heart swelled and he fought back the desperate urge to race over to Magnus's side. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring down at his phone as he slowly typed a response with trembling fingers, selecting each letter with the utmost care.

_I like you._

He received a reply as he stepped onto his floor, pausing just outside his dorm room.

_I like you, too._

His stomach fluttered and he grinned like an absolute moron as he read the text. And then read it again. And a third time just to be sure. Magnus liked him. He _liked_ him. Holy _shit_, Magnus Bane actually _liked him, what?!_ God, he hoped Jace was already asleep; he didn't want anything to drag him down from outer space right now. He twisted the door handle, sighing in relief when he saw the darkened room. He crept inside and closed the door, wincing as Jace shifted in his bed.

"How was your date?" the asshole muttered, his voice slurred by sleepiness.

"It wasn't a date," Alec responded automatically. Then he stopped short, smiling softly. He could still taste Magnus's lips on his own, could still smell his lingering scent, could still feel him in his arms. He smiled again. "But it was good. It was really good."

Silence filled the room and, for a moment, he thought Jace had fallen asleep. "I'm happy for you, buddy," finally came the quiet response. "Now shut the fuck up so I can get some sleep."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoooooo, so just a heads-up, we've got a bit of homophobic language at the beginning of this chapter because Raj is a dick.
> 
> Please enjoy, my loves. <3

Alec felt like he was soaring through practice the next morning. He was devastatingly distracted, his mind reliving the previous night over and over, constantly reminding him of how it felt to have Magnus kissing him, tugging him closer, hands curling around Alec's neck. He'd woken up, uncharacteristically refreshed after far too little sleep, to a text from Magnus saying he'd completely understand if Alec wanted to take it slow, they didn't have to tell anyone just yet if that's what Alec wanted, and he would be happy with whatever pace Alec was comfortable with. It took every ounce of willpower Alec possessed to _not_ sprint over to Magnus's dorm room.

It was clear that Alec was on Cloud 9 throughout practice. He ran faster, dodged quicker, and nailed each play perfectly. His teammates kept giving him fist bumps and slapping his helmet in congratulations with each pass he completed. Starkweather even offered him a rare smile - high praise from the usually stoic coach.

"Don't fuck this up, bro, he's clearly good for you," Jace muttered to him as they rounded the final turn of their last lap at the end of practice.

"Definitely don't intend on fucking anything up, guarantee you that," Alec responded breathlessly. Their feet pounded across the ground as they led the rest of the team back to the fifty-yard line to wrap up practice.

"It's really too bad, our team this year could have been legendary." Raj's voice carried over the group of players. "But instead, we're going to be the laughingstock of the league since our quarterback is a fag."

Alec felt like he'd been punched in the stomach as he tripped over the turf; he and Jace spun at the same time and stared at Raj as the junior crossed his arms, smirking at them. Alec sucked in a wheezing breath as he struggled to formulate a response. His face heated as the team gathered around them, clearly curious as to what was going on.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Jace demanded, taking a step towards the junior.

"You heard me. Lightwood's a fag," Raj repeated, jerking his chin towards Alec. "I saw you last night, tongue-fucking that theatre queer Bane outside the arts building. Who takes it up the ass, you or him?" He scoffed, his lip curling in disgust. "Maybe now the coach will finally realize making you starting quarterback was a mistake. No way he'd want a fucking faggot leading our team - who knows what would happen in the locker room?"

"You shut the fuck up or I'll fucking destroy you," Jace threatened, pointing at Raj.

"Jace, don't," Alec said hoarsely, his mind spinning as he reached out and grabbed his brother's arm.

"Careful, Wayland," Raj warned, nodding at Alec's hand on his arm. "You're not blood. Nothing to stop Lightwood from making a move."

"You motherfucker -"

Before Alec could blink, Jace tore his arm from Alec's grip and slammed it into Raj's face. The junior stumbled back a few steps, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip as he glared up at Jace. His lips curled back over his teeth and he hurled himself at Jace, knocking both of them to the ground as their fists battered each other. Alec raced to his brother's aid, digging his hands into the back of Raj's jersey to try and yank him away.

"Get the _fuck_ off me!" Raj exploded, twisting violently in Alec's grip and spinning around to pound his bloodied knuckles into Alec's face. Alec's ears rang and his vision blurred as Raj lifted his arm for another hit, the world around him seeming to move in slow motion. Cheek throbbing, Alec gasped out a sharp breath when the team captain, Will Herondale, caught Raj's wrist and twisted his arm painfully behind his back, forcing him down to the ground.

"Everyone, back off!" he ordered, his accent clipped and abrupt in his fury. "Blackthorn, get Starkweather."

Alec avoided Mark's gaze as the sophomore sprinted past, racing for the huddle of coaches standing by the entrance to the locker rooms. He gingerly pressed his cheek and winced, wiping the blood dotting his fingers off on his practice jersey; Raj had landed one hell of a right hook.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" Starkweather demanded, striding up to the group with Mark at his side, his sharp eyes instantly taking in Alec's blackening eye, Jace's torn knuckles and battered face, and Raj face-down in the turf with Will's knee pressed against his back.

"Lightwood's a fucking faggot, Coach, is that seriously who you want as a team leader?!" Raj spat out viciously. Alec's skin prickled and he stared down at the ground as his every muscle locked up, ready and waiting for the diatribe of vitriol he just knew was coming. _This_, exactly _this_, is why he never acted on his feelings, never told anyone he was gay - he was only protecting himself from the vile hate the world had to offer someone like him.

Starkweather's face darkened and he crouched down to glare at Raj. "Did you seriously not fucking listen to a goddamn thing I said in the team expectations meeting at the beginning of the season?" he asked. "We have zero tolerance for discrimination and bullying, which you would have realized had you fucking paid attention." Alec's gaze snapped up, shocked that the coach's anger wasn't directed at him. Starkweather stood up, disgust coloring his features as he gestured at Will. "Do me a favor, Herondale, and get him into my office. I've got release paperwork to process."

"Oh, come on - you're kicking me off the team?!" Raj shouted as Will dragged him to his feet. "I'm on scholarship!"

"Guess you'll have to find another school to play for. I don't allow bigots on my team. The rest of you are dismissed," Starkweather announced bluntly, turning to face Alec and Jace.

"Sir, the fight was my fault, I started it," Jace confessed quickly as the rest of the team hurried towards the locker room.

"But he was only fighting because of what Raj said about me," Alec added, glaring at his brother for throwing himself under the bus.

"Oh, shut up, both of you," Starkweather snapped. He peered at both of their faces and Jace's hands and grimaced, shaking his head. "No real damage, other than potentially busting up a few brain cells. Either of you have morning classes?"

Alec nodded silently.

"Not anymore. We've got an incident report to file. God, I hate paperwork." Starkweather sighed heavily. "Get the fuck inside and showered and wait for me to call you in."

Alec and Jace hurried into the locker room, not daring to say a word as Raj's infuriated voice echoed from the coach's office. Alec opened up his locker to send Magnus a quick text.

_Hey, I'm not going to be in class this morning. Raj flipped his shit in practice and now Jace and I have to hang back to fill out an incident report. Can I steal your notes later?_

"Soooo..."

Alec rolled his eyes at Jace's innocently inquisitive tone.

"I'm not having this discussion with you," he grumbled, popping a piece of gum in his mouth.

"When do I get to meet him?" Jace asked, grabbing the pack of gum and taking one for himself.

"You've already met him."

"Not as your boyfriend," his brother pointed out.

"I don't even know if he wants to be my... _that_," Alec hissed. "Especially after this shit."

Jace just rolled his eyes. "He'd be a dumbass to not want to be your _that_." Alec's phone buzzed a few times in quick succession; thankfully, Jace remained blessedly silent, raising his eyebrows at Alec before he walked back to his own locker to grab his towel.

_Of course, darling, I'll send them over after class._

_What happened with Raj? Are you and Jace all right?_

_Mostly you. Are you okay?_

Alec's heart swelled at the concern in Magnus's texts, and he tapped out a quick response.

_Thanks. And yeah, we're okay, a little beat up but fine. Jace looks worse than I do._

_Raj saw us last night outside the theatre. He made a few comments at the end of practice to the whole team. Guess I'm out of the closet now._

Alec tossed his phone back into his locker and grabbed his towel, showering quickly and being absolutely careful to keep his eyes averted as his teammates trickled out of the locker room until only he, Jace, and Will remained. Will's voice finally broke the silence.

"So... you're dating Magnus Bane?" he asked, tugging a long-sleeved shirt over his head.

"Uh... I'm not sure - I mean, I guess, maybe? We haven't really sorted out what we are," Alec mumbled into his hoodie as he zipped it up, willing back the flush that covered his cheeks.

"He's a good guy," Will said. Alec tripped over his gym bag as he stared up at the captain. "We live in the same house. My roommate and his girlfriend are both friends with him and I've hung out with him a bunch of times. Makes great drinks and he's funny as hell too. He's good people." He held out his fist for Alec to tap as he walked past towards Starkweather's office.

"Yeah, he is," Alec breathed as his phone lit up with a text from Magnus.

_Alexander, I'm so sorry. No one should ever be forcibly outed before they're ready. That's something that everyone should always have control over._

_If you want to take a step back or slow things down, I completely understand._

Alec's eyes widened in fear as he frantically texted back.

_No!! No, definitely not. I really like you, Magnus. Raj being a dick doesn't change that at all._

"Lightwood! Wayland! Get in here!"

Alec sighed and shoved his phone back into his locker before heading into the coach's office with Jace and Will. They went over the details of the fight and Raj's provocations, Starkweather taking copious notes to submit to the athletic director to support the player's removal from the team. At long last, Starkweather finally sat back from his computer and stared at the three players.

"It goes without saying that shit like what went on this morning is unacceptable on my team," he began, his voice flat. "Raj's comments violate our team expectations - not to mention just basic human decency - so he's off the team. I don't really give a fuck what happens to his student status. But the fighting -"

"Was totally my fault, sir, and I accept any and all blame for it," Jace interrupted earnestly.

"Shut up, Wayland. I get why you jumped to Lightwood's defense, I do, but I will not tolerate fighting. So, I'm ordering you both to perform community service. I understand you both volunteer regularly already?" he asked, glaring at the two of them. They each nodded silently. "Excellent. Keep doing that and you'll be fine. Now get out of my face."

They were nearly out the door when the coach spoke again.

"Lightwood." Alec turned around to see the coach stared at him, an uncharacteristically bemused smile on his face. "You had a great practice this morning. Regardless of what - or _who_ \- inspired the extra drive, keep that performance up, minus the brawling, and we'll be in for a championship season."

Alec's mouth dropped open. "I - um - yeah, def - I mean, yes, sir, will do, for sure," he stammered as Will chuckled. Starkweather grinned and waved him out of the office.

He met up with Jace in the locker room to collect their bags before they headed out into the sunshine of the day. He felt like his world had been turned completely upside down in the last twelve hours and he didn't know which way to go. Knowing he was hopelessly late to his writing class, he instead just followed Jace back to their dorm, grabbing his books for his afternoon classes before they walked over to the dining commons.

"So..."

"Dude, I fucking _swear_," Alec groaned exasperatedly.

"I just want to know if it's serious!" Jace protested.

"I have no idea! I mean, we've been friends since the start of term, but we just kissed for the first time last night - I didn't even know he was interested!"

"You didn't know because you're an idiot who refuses to listen to anyone else or open his eyes to the goddamn obvious signs right in front of him," Jace told him bluntly. He reached out and squeezed Alec's shoulder, drawing them both to a stop. "But seriously, he better treat you right," his brother added, solemn for potentially the first time in his life. "Otherwise, I'll fuck him up."

Alec couldn't help but chuckle at his brother, extending a hand to ruffle Jace's hair in _exactly_ the way he hated. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, man."

They headed into the commons and dropped their bags off at their corner table, staking out a number of chairs for themselves, Isabelle, Clary, and Simon, before they headed inside to grab food. Alec waved at George as he threw together a basic salad from the salad bar and picked up a large coffee. He and Jace settled back at the table, greeting Izzy and their friends when they approached a few minutes later.

"Jace, did you get tackled into the grass or something?" Clary asked, scrunching up her nose as she examined the scrapes and bruises on Jace's face. Jace opened his mouth to respond before his gaze flicked over to Alec. Alec glanced down, focusing on his food and carefully angling the injured side of his face away from the rest of the group. It was ridiculous, not saying anything, when what happened that morning was probably racing its way through the campus gossip grapevine at that very moment, but as always, he just couldn't find the words. Jace instantly caught on and invented some over-the-top story about a tackle and a twenty-player dogpile and possibly a tiger - Alec wasn't really paying attention.

He stayed quiet throughout most of lunch, answering in one-word responses or shrugs of his shoulder, fighting back the overwhelming desire to check his phone for messages from Magnus. He speared the last piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth just as a flash of sparkle caught his attention from the entrance to the room. He glanced up and his mind went blank when he saw Magnus across the dining hall, settling into a table with Ragnor, Catarina, Raphael, Jem, and Tessa, recognizing each of them from pictures Magnus had shown him.

"Alec? Were you in the crazy, totally unbelievable dogpile tackle too?" Clary asked suddenly, pointing at his face.

"What the hell, big bro?!" Izzy demanding, leaning over the table and grabbing his face to glare at his darkening eye. Alec glanced over at Jace and closed his eyes, sighing.

"There was kind of a fight at the end of practice," Alec said, wincing as Izzy squeezed his chin.

"Holy shit, dude, over what?" Simon asked, leaning in to peer at Jace's battered hand.

"Uh..." _They're your friends, your family. They'll be happy for you. Moment of truth. Here we go._ He took a deep breath and stared down into his salad, pushing around the remnants of lettuce and dressing. "I, um... one of the guys on the team saw me last night, uh... kissing another guy and made some shitty comments about it at the end of practice. Jace decked him, they punched each other a few times, and when I tried pulling him off Jace, he punched me too," he explained in a breathless ramble. He finally glanced up when the table stayed silent to see Izzy and Clary grinning brilliantly at him, Izzy's fingers twisted together in front of her nose.

"Do you have a boyfriend?!" she demanded in an excited squeak. Alec felt a smile creeping onto his face that he was helpless to push back.

"Maybe? I don't know," he mumbled, ducking his head again.

"Oh, my gosh, look at little bashful Alec, this is adorable!" Clary cooed, clapping her hands together and earning a patented Alec Glare™.

"Wait, how do you not know?!" Izzy pressed.

"I don't know because before last night, I didn't even know he was interested!" Alec hissed at her, picking up his coffee to take a deep gulp.

"But you kissed him?!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Yes, okay? Yes, I kissed him and then we kissed some more and it was very nice and I would very much like to do it again. Happy now?" he asked, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. His sister beamed back at him.

"Yes, I am, because my big brother is," she told him, sniffling as she reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"So... who is it?" Simon ventured, glancing over at him.

Alec couldn't help it - his gaze was instantly drawn to Magnus sitting with his friends, the shimmer on his nails glittering in the sun shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows as he held his cup of tea, his head tilted back in a free-spirited laugh.

"Ohh, Alec, he's so cute!" Clary squealed as the entire table turned as one to stare at Magnus.

"He's beautiful," Alec murmured, his heart aching. Suddenly, he couldn't seem to think of a single good reason to keep sitting at this table instead of going over to Magnus. His friends and siblings knew about them, his team knew about them, _Magnus_ knew Alec liked him... what was stopping him? His pulse racing, Alec inhaled sharply, his gaze never leaving Magnus's face as he placed his coffee back down on the table and stood.

"Where are you going, bro?"

He waved off Izzy's questioning tone as he walked around the table and set off, weaving his way through the packed dining hall, his heart pounding as he approached Magnus's table. He was still maybe ten feet away when Magnus finally looked up, his face brightening visibly when he saw Alec before his forehead quickly creased in concern when he spotted the bruise on Alec's cheek.

"Alexander...?"

Before he lost his courage, Alec leaned over Magnus, one hand on the back of Magnus's chair and the other curling around his jaw as he pressed his lips against Magnus's. He felt Magnus inhale sharply against his mouth before he tentatively kissed back, his hand lifting to wrap around Alec's wrist. Alec stole another kiss, then another, before he pulled back. Magnus stared up at him, wide-eyed and in awe.

"Hi," Alec breathed as he crouched down next to him, his hand slipping from Magnus's neck down to rest on his knee.

"Hi," Magnus whispered back, catching Alec's hand and squeezing his fingers. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking back control," Alec told him, suddenly nervous at what he might say. Magnus searched his face for a moment before a wide grin spread and he leaned in to press a sweet kiss against Alec's lips.

"I'm very proud of you, darling," Magnus murmured, his eyes warm as he gazed at Alec. His fingers drifted over the welt on Alec's cheek. "But what happened here?"

"Jace fought Raj for my honor and Raj took a swing at me for good measure," Alec said, shrugging.

"What a remarkably Neanderthal series of events," Magnus commented lightly, frowning as he tilted Alec's face to the side to get a better look.

"No one ever accused Raj of intelligent thought. Or Jace, for that matter," Alec responded, wincing a bit as Magnus's fingers lightly prodded at the bruise.

"That much is clear," Magnus scoffed as his thumb swept softly over the skin. "But I think you'll live."

"No break?" Alec asked teasingly.

"No break," Magnus confirmed, leaning in to brush a light kiss over the bruise before he glanced out over the cafeteria towards Alec's table. The corner of his lips quirked up into a smile. "Jace looks awful."

"Raj looks just as bad, if not worse."

Magnus smirked and his hand slipped into Alec's hair, his thumb brushing back and forth along the soft skin just behind Alec's ear. "Good for Jace, then."

"Quarterback, if you're going to be dating one of our own, get off the bloody floor and into a chair," Ragnor groused, kicking at the empty chair at the end of the table closest to Alec. "We're not sodding peasants."

Alec cocked his head, staring at the surly boy for a moment. "Honestly, I can't tell if you actually live in this reality or if you're secretly, like, a warlock with horns from another universe," he said finally. Magnus and Catarina burst out laughing as Ragnor scowled.

"I like this one, Magnus, you can keep him around," Catarina commented, giggling.

"Yes, yes, and Catarina has blue skin and Magnus has, I don't know, the eyes of a cat - are you quite finished being strange?" he demanded.

Alec grinned at them all as he pushed himself to his feet. "I actually need to head out to class, but I just wanted to come over to say hi."

Magnus caught Alec's hand and smiled up at him. "Hi."

"Hi," Alec whispered back, squeezing his fingers.

"Oh, you two are revolting," Raphael grumbled, picking up his coffee.

Alec rolled his eyes and leaned down again to press a quick kiss against Magnus's lips.

"Go out with me tonight," Magnus murmured against his mouth. Alec's heart jumped and he felt his smile mirrored on Magnus's lips as he kissed him again.

"Okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I'll text you?"

"Okay."

Alec punctuated each agreement with a kiss, unable to stop himself at any point and really having no desire to do so.

"Alec!" He groaned as Magnus chuckled through another kiss before he straightened and looked over his shoulder, pointedly ignoring the blatant stares they were getting from the students surrounding them, to glare at Jace. His brother was standing a few feet away, holding up Alec's backpack and grinning at him. "Class, bro."

Alec grimaced before leaning down again for one last kiss, his heart beating a bit faster as Magnus hummed against his lips. He pulled away before he could sink into a second last kiss. "I'll see you tonight," he said.

"Yes, you will," Magnus responded, smiling up at him as he brushed his finger over his lips.

* * *

They ended up back at Taki's that night - mostly because Alec wanted another milkshake. They'd met up outside the arts building again for the short walk over to the diner. Alec had held out his hand as Magnus approached, his heart leaping at the surprise and affection evident on Magnus's face when he reached out and clasped their fingers together, pulling Alec against him to kiss him hello. Their hands stayed linked, swinging between them as they walked across campus. Alec kept looking over at Magnus, still not fully able to believe it was real.

They'd settled into the same table as their last visit, tucked away in the corner of the restaurant, and once again Alec was struck by how easy everything felt. Nothing was forced, nothing was awkward or uncomfortable, it just... _was_. Being with Magnus was as simple as breathing.

They each had a towering milkshake and, to double down on their sugar intake, they split an ice cream sundae - "to celebrate us," Magnus said with a soft smile. The waitress delivered the monstrous dessert and stuck a little candle in the center of the whipped cream, lighting it with a flourish.

"To celebrate," she answered with a cheeky grin when they both looked questioningly up at her, patting Magnus's shoulder before walking off. Alec glanced down at the dancing little flame and smiled, the hiccuping joy of the candle reflecting the happiness flooding through him, especially when Magnus reached out and tangled their fingers together.

"What are you going to wish for?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.

"Wish? It's not a birthday candle," Alec pointed out.

"Who says wishing is only for birthday candles?" Magnus teased.

Alec grinned at him. "Touché, I suppose. But I don't need to wish for anything. I already have everything I want."

Magnus's gaze grew impossibly warm and he lifted Alec's hand to his lips, brushing a kiss against his fingers. "You are certainly something special, Mr. Lightwood," he murmured. He quickly blew out the candle before he stood and leaned over the table to press his lips against Alec's.

They slowly made their way through the sundae, enjoying their time together and chatting quietly. Alec revelled in the calm, allowing himself to gaze unabashedly at Magnus, his eyes drawing over slender fingers dragging a spoon through the ice cream, the line of his cheekbones, the way in which the shimmery liner highlighted his eyes, the tiny crinkles at the corners of his eyes when he laughed. For the first time, when Magnus caught Alec looking at him, Alec didn't look away or make an excuse. _I could look at him forever._

"So, I have to tell you, you guys are the talk of campus," their waitress told them when she finally brought back Magnus's credit card - he'd insisted on paying since he had been the one to invite Alec out. "I'm friends with Simon Lewis and he was so excited about you guys in our business class this afternoon."

Alec groaned. "Simon is _such_ a dork, God," he commented, rolling his eyes.

"Yep, that's Simon, all right," she said with a laugh. "I'm Maia, by the way. And he's totally right to be excited - you guys are super cute together," she added as she picked up their empty dishes.

"Did you hear that?" Magnus asked, glancing over at Alec as she walked away.

"We're cute," Alec responded, wrinkling his nose.

"We're _super_ cute."

"Together," Alec murmured, unable to hide his grin.

"Together indeed, darling," Magnus repeated, Alec's smile echoed on his face. He stood and held out his hand, pulling Alec to his feet. They waved goodbye to Maia and headed out of the diner, screeching to a halt just outside the entrance.

"It's raining," Alec commented, tilting his head back and staring up at the sky.

"You are outstandingly observational, darling," Magnus noted. "But sometimes a walk in the rain is rather refreshing. You won't melt away." He stepped out into the parking lot and extended his hand to Alec. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Alec was helpless to resist the pull, stepping out into the cool night drizzle to lace his fingers with Magnus's. They set out on the short trek back to campus, Magnus's free hand holding onto Alec's bicep as they walked.

"So, how did your friends and family take things today?" the senior ventured after a few quiet minutes.

"They're all really excited," Alec responded, smiling as he thought of everyone's reactions. "Izzy's sent me..." He pulled out his phone as it buzzed once again. "...seventeen texts demanding to know everything about you and when she's going to meet you."

"Ah, yes," Magnus said sagely, nodding. "My group is also wondering when they'll get to officially meet you. I have a feeling an interrogation is coming, darling, you'd best gird your loins."

"Well, that's not terrifying or anything," Alec replied, only slightly alarmed. "And according to Jace, I've been miserable and 'eternally suffering', and he thinks I deserve to be happy."

"Do _you_ believe that?"

Alec sighed. "I don't know. I've always wanted to be, but I never thought it was in the cards for me, given everything that my parents expect me to be and to accomplish," he explained softly. "It's why I've never told anyone before. I figured it was easier to just close myself off."

"Well... I happen to agree with Jace," Magnus told him, squeezing his fingers. "You certainly deserve to be happy, darling, and I'm going to do my best to help contribute to that."

Alec grinned down at him, his heart doing that stupid flip-flopping thing that it had been doing since he kissed Magnus the night before. Maia's words drifted back to him and he hesitated for a moment before he drew them both to a halt in the middle of the rainy sidewalk.

"Alexander?"

"I was just thinking about what Maia said before we left Taki's," Alec mumbled, staring down at their entwined fingers. "And I just, um... I was just, y'know... like... are we?"

"Are we..."

Alec took a deep breath. "Um... together?" His gaze darted up to meet Magnus's, his breath stuttering at the warmth in the senior's eyes. Magnus smiled up at him, the hand on Alec's arm sliding up to curl around his jaw. His thumb brushed over Alec's cheek a few times as he stepped closer.

"Alexander Lightwood, would you be my boyfriend?" he asked in a quiet murmur. Alec's breath caught in his throat as he gazed down at Magnus.

"Only if you'll be mine, too," he whispered.

"You've got yourself a deal," Magnus told him, a wide smile spreading as he pulled Alec down to him for a dizzying kiss.

The moment would be forever frozen in Alec's memory - the rain pattering down softly around them, wrapped in each other's arms, a single phrase running through his mind on repeat: _Magnus Bane is my boyfriend._


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As Alec reached into those fucking pants..._
> 
> A brief summary of this chapter, courtesy of the wonderful whatsablurrysoup. <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAyYyYyYyYYYY, we got some light smut, y'all. Our lil bbies are getting. it. on. #cantstopwontstop
> 
> Please enjoy, my darlings. <3

_Alec! Where r u?? Ur not getting out of this, big bro!_

_Alec srsly ill kick ur ass if u flake out on us._

_Dont make me hack the gps on ur phone to find u!!!_

"Could she actually do that?" Magnus asked, peering down at Alec's phone as they read the texts.

"Honestly, I wouldn't really put anything past her, she's way smarter than I am," Alec responded, contemplating whether or not his sister would follow through on her threat.

He and Magnus were sitting on a bench on the far edge of campus in front of a quiet grove of trees, Magnus tucked against Alec's side, his hand lightly resting on Alec's leg as they enjoyed the afternoon. Alec's arm was loosely slung around Magnus's shoulders; he kept brushing his fingers back and forth across Magnus's sleeve, still hardly able to believe he wasn't dreaming. They had made plans to introduce the other to both of their groups - dinner with Alec's friends and drinks afterwards with Magnus's - and they were stealing this last bit of quiet before descending into the chaos that would inevitably be their evening.

"We should probably get going then," Magnus said, clearly reluctant to leave the cocoon of Alec's arm. "It's one thing to be fashionably late; it's another entirely to be purposefully tardy."

"...you're gonna have to explain that one to me again at some point. But you're probably right," Alec added with a heavy sigh. Magnus leaned up and kissed Alec's cheek, grimacing as he pulled away and reaching up to swipe his thumb over Alec's skin. "You got lip gloss on me, didn't you?" Alec asked with a grin.

"Uh... yeah. Sorry," Magnus responded, wrinkling his nose in a distinctly adorable way. Even though he knew this would just result in more of the shimmery gloss transferring owners, Alec leaned in anyway and pressed his lips against Magnus's, a thrill of excitement running through him, that same thrill that he was beginning to think would never go away with each kiss they exchanged.

Magnus's eyes were warm when Alec pulled away and pushed himself to his feet before threading his fingers together with Magnus's and drawing him off the bench. "Come on, Mr. Bane," he murmured. "Time to go meet the wolves."

Isabelle and Clary had decided they would all go for dinner at a Chinese restaurant just off campus, the Jade Wolf, and Alec and Magnus were able to make the quick trek in just a few minutes, hand in hand as they walked. As they walked across the parking lot, Magnus slipped his hand free of Alec's, tucking them into his pockets. Alec instantly halted. "What's wrong?"

Magnus stopped as well, staring wide-eyed at him. "Well, I just figured you might not want to be overt or over the top or anything -" Alec cut him off with a quick approach, his hands on Magnus's waist and pulling him close as Magnus's hands flew up to grasp at his arms.

"Magnus, I kissed you in front of the entire fucking cafeteria," Alec reminded him. "Everyone that's in the restaurant right now saw us. And I'm _done_ hiding. Us holding hands isn't overt or over the top or whatever, it's just... it's just _us_," he insisted. Magnus's hand slid up around the back of Alec's neck and pulled him into a soft kiss.

"Then lead the way, darling," he murmured, smiling up at him. Alec firmly laced their fingers together, smiling when Magnus squeezed his hand. They walked up to the front door and stepped inside to hear an ear-splitting shriek from a large circular booth in the corner of the restaurant. Izzy leapt up and threw her arms around Alec's neck, giving him a tight hug.

"It's about time, _hermano_!" she exclaimed, punching his arm.

"Sorry, sorry, we just lost track of time," he muttered, fighting back a blush as Magnus squeezed his fingers, looking over at him. "So, uh, you've already met Jace. This is my sister Isabelle, and that's Clary and Simon," he introduced, gesturing at each of them in turn. "Everyone, this is Magnus."

Clary and Simon each gave a cheerful wave, while Jace - the asshole - just smirked knowingly. Izzy surprised them both by pulling Magnus into a quick hug. "What? You're one of us now, deal with it," she told them as Alec and Magnus slid into the booth. Magnus looked completely at ease; if he was nervous, he played it off well. Alec, however, was a wreck, tightly wound and twisting his fingers together underneath the table as he watched his friends. Without missing a beat, Magnus slipped his hand into Alec's, the simple touch working instantly to calm Alec.

Dinner went exactly as Alec expected, a mix of casual conversation and interrogation from Isabelle and Clary worthy of the FBI, interspersed with innuendos courtesy of Jace and witty quips from Simon. Magnus handled everything with ease, smoothly responding to each of Clary's and Izzy's demands ("What are you doing after graduation?" "What are you studying?" "What do you like about Alec?") while meeting each of Jace's and Simon's comments with his own.

Their meals had just been delivered to the table when Alec finally began to relax, a cautious hope blooming in his mind that maybe, just maybe, this would all actually work. Magnus seemed to handle his friends perfectly, never once losing his cool or appearing flustered. By the time they'd finished their food, Alec had abandoned all hesitation, slouched down in the seat and comfortably leaning against Magnus's side with Magnus's arm draped across the back of the booth. He was perfectly happy sitting here with his boyfriend - _his boyfriend!_ \- with his siblings and their closest friends, something he never thought he would get to have.

"You two are just so fucking _cute_, I can't even handle it!" Izzy burst out suddenly, clapping her hands together. Alec glared at her from his perch on Magnus's shoulder as the waiter dropped off their individual checks and a plate of fortune cookies.

"We keep getting that comment, so I guess it must be true," Magnus responded cheerfully, grinning. Alec huffed out a laugh and straightened up to dig out his wallet - he'd already insisted that he be the one to pay for dinner since Magnus was spending it subjected to his friends. He slid his card into the folder and piled it on the edge of the table with everyone else's before snagging two of the cookies, handing one to Magnus and breaking his own open. He read his fortune and read it again, his breath catching in his throat at how astonishingly applicable it was.

"_'In love the soul feels indomitable freedom,'_" Magnus read aloud from his own fortune. Alec's heart thudded painfully as Magnus looked from the tiny strip of paper up at him, his eyes shining bright as they stared into Alec's own. He leaned in, propping his chin on Alec's shoulder and pressing his temple against his cheek. "What does yours say?"

Alec cleared his throat. "_'Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open,'_" he whispered, unable to raise his voice to reach further than Magnus's ears. His boyfriend pulled back slightly and smiled softly up at him.

"How very true that is," he murmured, his gaze locked on Alec's face. Alec forgot all about his siblings and friends, the fact that they were in the middle of a crowded restaurant, and leaned in, his hand curving around Magnus's jaw as he pulled him in for a sweet kiss, then another.

"So fucking cute!" Izzy hissed again, slapping excitedly at Clary and breaking the soft spell that had surrounded Alec and Magnus for just a few seconds.

"Oh, my _God_, you're a nightmare," Alec groaned, dropping his head back against the booth. Magnus chuckled and pulled out his phone to check the time.

"We'd best get going if we don't want to be late meeting up with my group, darling," Magnus told him, brushing his hand over Alec's leg.

"'Darling'?" Jace repeated with a smirk.

"Shut it," Alec retorted.

"So you're allowed to be late to meet us, but not them?" Izzy teased.

"You all seem much more relaxed and agreeable in that regard, so I'll admit I wasn't all that concerned about it," Magnus confessed as they all slid from the booth, Alec slipping the fortune into his pocket when no one was looking. "Ragnor, however, is an absolute terror if someone is late, so I try to avoid that at all costs."

"Plus, he kind of scares me," Alec added, shrugging.

They all strolled back to campus together, Izzy and Clary giving them both quick hugs before waving goodbye and heading back to the underclassmen dorms. Alec and Magnus were meeting up with his friends at their townhouse and veered off towards the senior housing, their fingers lightly entwined as they walked.

"Are you really scared of Ragnor?" Magnus asked curiously.

"He's a bit of a terrifying person for someone who doesn't know him," Alec responded, tossing his boyfriend a pointed glare.

Magnus chuckled and tugged him closer to press a kiss to his cheek. "I suppose I can see that," he conceded with a raised eyebrow.

They walked into the townhouse a few minutes later to see a group of people sitting in the common area just inside the door, all with glasses in hand and waiting for them.

"Quarterback," Ragnor greeted steadily, slowly taking a sip of his drink as he stared up at them.

"Uh, it's Alec, actually," he said, summoning some courage and smiling at the group.

"We'll see about that."

Alec quickly glanced over at Magnus to see him rolling his eyes. "Stop being ridiculous," he scoffed, snaking an arm around Alec's waist as he pointed out each of the group. "Darling, I met your friends and family tonight... now meet mine. You've already met Ragnor, this is Catarina and Raphael, and over there is Jem and Tessa. Children, this is Alec," he introduced, turning a warm gaze up at him.

Catarina, Jem, and Tessa waved at him, while Ragnor took another sip of his drink. Raphael continued to stare down at his phone. "Alec, do you want a drink?" Catarina offered, standing as Magnus pulled away and walked towards the kitchenette.

Alec gestured towards Magnus. "I'll, um, I'll just have whatever Magnus is having."

"One potent martini it is, then," she teased, hooking her arm through Alec's and dragging him over to the counter. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Uh... I just turned 20," Alec responded absently, his eyes locked on Magnus's movements as the senior deftly mixed a few martinis in no time at all.

"'Just'? Alexander, did I miss your birthday?" Magnus asked, frowning as he strained the drink into a glass.

"It was on the twelfth, but I never really do anything for it anyway, it's really not a big deal," he reassured him, accepting the proffered drink.

"Don't be absurd, birthdays are important!" Catarina insisted, blowing Magnus a kiss as he refilled her own glass.

"Indeed they are. I'll just have to make it up to you," Magnus told him, coming around the counter with his martini and giving Alec a quick kiss.

"Catarina, get back in here with Magnus's quarterback so we can interrogate him already," Ragnor called out from his chair. She rolled her eyes at Alec.

"Don't worry," she stage-whispered. "He's like a poorly trained guard dog. His bark is worse than his bite."

"I heard that."

"You were meant to!"

Armed with their drinks, Alec followed Magnus to a small couch, breathing a small sigh of relief when Magnus sat right against him, catching Alec's free hand in his own and resting them both in his lap. He took a deep breath as he looked out at the seniors staring expectantly back at him. "So... what do you want to know?"

"Favorite band," Ragnor demanded immediately. Alec blinked.

"Uh, not really what I was expecting, I'll admit that," he chuckled, "but I don't really have a favorite band. Songs, but I listen to a ton of different stuff really." At Ragnor's steady glare, Alec swallowed hard and nearly tripped over his words as he said, "Um, but I mean if I had to choose, it would probably be Panic! At The Disco."

"Oh, Brendon Urie is _beautiful_," Catarina sighed, lifting her martini to take a sip.

"He's also got an insane voice and his songs are killer," Alec added, relaxing incrementally against Magnus. This was fine. He could talk about Panic! and music. No problem.

"Favorite Panic! song?" she prompted.

Magnus's thumb brushed over Alec's skin. "Careful, darling. Cat has been a Panic! fan for centuries and you may be judged harshly for your choice," he teased from behind his glass.

"Hush, you demon," she responded, dismissing him with a flap of her hand. "Well?"

"Good to know there's no pressure," Alec muttered in an undertone to Magnus. "Um, I really love 'Hallelujah', 'High Hopes', 'Victorious', and 'Dancing's Not A Crime', but really, you can't go wrong with any of their songs."

"So... recent Panic! then."

"Mostly because he's really been able to showcase his voice and his writing in a way he wasn't able to in their earlier years when they were an actual group rather than just him," Alec quickly amended. Cat sat back in her chair, clearly appraising him, before an approving smile spread across her face.

"You pass. He'll do," she told Magnus, raising her glass towards them.

"I certainly think so," Magnus responded, smirking at her as he leaned against Alec and slung one long leg over the other, angling himself towards the sophomore.

"So, quarterback," Raphael began, finally looking up from his phone. "Long-term, where do you see this going?" he asked, gesturing between Alec and Magnus.

Alec's eyes flew wide open. "Long - long-term?" he stammered, suddenly clutching his glass tightly. He looked over at Magnus, sensing his answer to this was possibly the most important thing he'd say that night. "Honestly, I, um, I don't know. I've never really... done this before, but I _know_ I want to see where this goes and... and I hope it goes far," he murmured, his full attention focused on Magnus. He took a shaky breath. "I'm here, and I'm in this - completely."

Magnus gazed up at him, brown eyes soft and deep as he pulled his fingers from Alec's grip to curve around Alec's jaw, his skin warm against Alec's. He leaned forward, brushing a light kiss against Alec's lips. "That was an _excellent_ answer, darling," he whispered against Alec's mouth before kissing him again.

"I suppose he's fine," Raphael interrupted, turning definitively back to his phone. Magnus rolled his eyes and pressed a quick kiss against the corner of Alec's mouth before he sat back, the two of them angled on the couch so Magnus could lean back against Alec's chest. A flurry of giddiness raced through Alec as his boyfriend grabbed his hand again, pulling it around his abdomen in a loose hug. He ducked his head, his nose full of the sandalwood scent of Magnus's shampoo as he settled against the cushions.

Tessa and Cat proceeded to ask Alec about his friends, his classes, favorite books and movies, and his interests other than writing, football, and Magnus. Tessa's boyfriend, Jem, sat next to them, staying fairly quiet but watching the proceedings with amusement, mediating once when the room exploded after Alec, possibly inadvisably, mentioned he'd never actually seen a play or musical before. Ragnor sat off to one side, looking uncannily like an elementary-school chaperone on a field trip of rambunctious nine-year-olds - tired, suspicious, and irritated. 

Alec stood at one point to help Magnus mix and carry back another round of drinks for everyone and made this observation. His boyfriend snickered as he poured a glass of wine for Tessa. "That's just his protective face, darling, never fear," he whispered back with a wink.

He dragged his thumb up the neck of the bottle, catching the escaped drizzle of Pinot Grigio and lifting it absently to his mouth. Alec stepped close, one hand on the bottle to keep it upright and the other on Magnus's waist, as he pressed himself against his boyfriend, chasing the bright taste of the wine. Magnus hummed against his mouth, his hand sliding up Alec's arm to hold him in place.

"Stop making out in the fucking kitchen, we make food there," Raphael grumbled, his gaze still locked on his phone. Magnus grinned and stole another kiss.

"You're going to fit right in," Magnus murmured warmly as he picked up several of the drinks. Alec smiled back at him, dopey and affectionate, as they headed back into the fray.

* * *

Alec could feel the thudding bass in his soul as he and his friends stumbled towards the senior townhouse that weekend. Jace was insistent on celebrating their win that evening while Izzy was insistent on celebrating the fact that Alec had finally come out. Clary and Simon were just along for the ride, with a surprise appearance by Maia after Jace extended an open invitation. They'd started their evening with a detestable amount of shots, all of them grimacing as the cheap liquor burned down their throats, before they moved over to a party being held by one of the juniors on the football team. Alec was the star of the night, everyone converging around him to congratulate his playing that evening. Alec felt light and finally happy as he slowly realized that no one really gave a shit that he was dating a guy - maybe he could finally have the life he wanted without hiding such a critical part of himself.

But even though the attention and congratulations were heady, Magnus and his housemates were hosting a party that night and had invited Alec to stop by if he had "time in his busy social calendar." Right. Like Alec would ever give up the chance to see him. Magnus had been standing in the football stands that night when Alec ran off the field with the rest of the team, excitement soaring with the thrill of victory racing through their veins, but one glance at Magnus nearly had Alec climbing the walls to reach him.

He knew Magnus had left soon after they left the field since Ragnor and Raphael had given him a hard time about going anyway, complaining that Magnus was leaving them to set up the party while he watched his "boy toy strut around in tight pants". Alec and Jace still had to go say hello to their parents after the game and, if Alec was being completely honest with himself, he really had no idea what to say to them about Magnus. He didn't want to lie to them or hide Magnus and their relationship, but his mother was a force to be reckoned with, and she expected him to carry on the family name. She'd made that clear to all of them.

That, however, would be a conversation and a decision for another day. Tonight... tonight, Alec just wanted Magnus.

By the time they stepped into the townhouse, he was pleasantly buzzed, his limbs loose and his mind fuzzy, but he wasn't nearly prepared for the crush of students that filled the common area of the dorm. He gaped out over the sea of writhing bodies moving to the beat of the music, more than a few of them pressed against walls or the kitchen counters or just swaying together in the center of the crowd, locked together with kisses and groping hands. How the _fuck_ was he ever going to find Magnus in all this?

Then his question was answered and his breath left him in a rattling gasp. Magnus and his housemates had somehow managed to construct a low stage at the front of the room where they'd strewn a half dozen or so chairs and a table at which Raphael stood, DJing the party. There were a few people lounging in the chairs or dancing around them on the stage, but Magnus... Magnus was sitting in the centermost chair, really better described as a throne, one leg thrown over the arm of the chair and looking every ounce a royal lord. Alec's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he took in Magnus's appearance, from the smokey eye makeup and the sheen of glitter adorning his skin to the sheer black button-down open to nearly his navel, from the necklaces draped over a mouth-wateringly sculpted chest to the - _fuck_, were those leather pants tucked into his boots?!

If Magnus was the king of the party, Alec was his subject and helpless to deny the summons when Magnus's gaze landed on him. He pushed and shoved his way through the crowd, the shouted protests of his siblings and friends falling on deaf ears as he left them behind. Magnus's smirk grew wider as he watched Alec approach with hooded eyes, a glass of what looked like whiskey dangling from his fingers - because of _course_ Magnus was using an actual glass and not just a cheap plastic cup like every other college student. When Alec was just a few feet away, still caught behind a group of tightly entangled students, Magnus tilted the glass back to take a sip of his drink before giving a _come hither_ beckon with a single finger. With a final shove, Alec burst through the group, stumbling onto the stage towards Magnus and catching himself on the back of the chair. He had only a split second to steady himself before Magnus's free hand grabbed at the front of his shirt and pulled him into a scorching kiss. Alec's mind swam, the taste of the whiskey on Magnus's tongue enough to make him desperate for more. Magnus pulled back suddenly, his fingers smoothly unbuttoning the top three buttons of Alec's shirt as he murmured against Alec's lips, "Welcome to Pandemonium, darling."

"...hhng?" Alec's brain had turned off, officially. Permanently. Eternally.

Magnus smirked up at him again as he dropped his gaze to Alec's chest, humming in appreciation as he pushed his fingers through the coarse hair newly revealed. "Pandemonium," he said again, his voice almost inaudible in the heavy thump of the music. "It's what we call the house when we decide to host a party. Pretty much anything goes, as long as it's not something that would get us shut down by campus police." He took another sip of his drink before he handed it to Alec, who finished off the final mouthful, shuddering as the fiery liquor went straight to his head. "Dance with me, Alexander."

Alec could only nod dumbly as Magnus slid sinuously to his feet, turning and pulling Alec against his back. Alec placed his hands on Magnus's waist, pressing himself against the older boy as Magnus twined his fingers together with Alec's and dragged them down to rest at the top of his thighs. Alec dug his fingers into the soft leather of the pants and buried his nose in Magnus's hair as his boyfriend began swaying his hips in a slow, filthy grind. Alec closed his eyes and followed Magnus's lead, his tipsy mind slowly crawling towards the realization that they were quite obviously on display up on this stage, pressed completely together, Alec wrapped entirely around Magnus... and he kind of didn't even care? There was really nothing that could have ruined his mood at that moment, not when he had this devastatingly gorgeous creature in his arms.

He tilted his head, pressing a hot kiss against Magnus's neck, his fingers curling even more into Magnus's hips and pulling him more firmly against himself as they continued dancing. It wasn't until Magnus's head dropped back into Alec's shoulder with a stuttered groan that he realized just how affected he was by dancing like this with Magnus - he was more than half-hard and each roll of their hips seated his dick right in the crease of Magnus's ass. Alec inhaled sharply and bent his head to suck a kiss onto the curve where Magnus's neck met his shoulder, just barely covered by that damn shirt. As he did, he saw, with no small amount of both surprise and satisfaction, that Magnus was just as affected as he was, the outline of his cock just barely visible through his leather pants.

Magnus spun in his grip, pressing his chest and hips against Alec's as he wrapped his arm around his neck, twisting his fingers in Alec's hair as the other hand tightly curled around a firm bicep. Alec's hands automatically landed on his boyfriend's waist, his fingers pressing tight into Magnus's skin as the senior urged him back into motion. Magnus's fingers tightened in Alec's hair, just this side of painful.

"Kiss me," Magnus whispered, barely getting the words out before Alec's lips descended on his. Alec bit back a moan when Magnus's hips settled into a hard roll, their cocks sliding together through the layers of leather and denim. Magnus licked into Alec's mouth and Alec's world narrowed to the feel of Magnus moving against him, kissing him, fingers pressing against his skin. His arousal sliced through his hazy, alcohol-laced mind and managed to spare the briefest thought for how much his life had changed in the last week - admitting his feelings for another guy for the first time, kissing said guy, coming out to his friends (not to mention most of the school), and now nearly desperate to get his hands on that guy, never mind the fact that they were on an elevated stage in front of close to two hundred of their fellow students. Although, when that guy was Magnus Bane, no one could really blame Alec, could they?

"God, you're so fucking hot," Alec muttered against Magnus's mouth, his hands sliding into the back pockets of Magnus's pants and squeezing, _hard_. Magnus's hips bucked against his and Alec swallowed the older boy's moan as Magnus ground their cocks together. Alec's mind soared higher as they moved together - never once in his life did he imagine ever feeling about anyone like he did about Magnus.

"Do you wanna come back to my room?" Magnus breathed, lightly sinking his teeth into Alec's lower lip. Alec gasped and dug his fingers into Magnus's ass. "No pressure at all, darling, but just to get out of the spotlight -"

"_Fuck_, yes, let's go," Alec urged, wrenching himself away from Magnus and grabbing his hand to tug him off the stage. Magnus laughed, a bright, carefree sound, and latched himself onto Alec's arm as they shoved their way through the crowd. Jace clapped Alec on the back as they passed and whether it was the alcohol he'd imbibed or the fact that Magnus had sunk into his every cell, but he found he truly didn't care that his siblings saw him going back to a guy's room. Alec grinned to himself and pushed Magnus into the wall just beyond the common area, digging his fingers into Magnus's hair as he captured his mouth once again.

"This doesn't look like my room, Alexander," Magnus pointed out, smiling against Alec's lips, his hands slipping underneath Alec's shirt to spread across his back.

"My mistake. Lead the way," Alec teased, pulling Magnus off the wall and pressing himself against the older boy's back, wrapping his arms around Magnus's stomach and dropping kisses onto his neck as Magnus walked them both down the hallway and away from the party. "I like this," he mumbled, his hands slipping underneath the open halves of his boyfriend's shirt, his fingers spreading wide over firm abs.

"Mmm, do you now?" Magnus tilted his head to the side, allowing Alec greater access to continue mouthing along his neck.

"Mhmm. 's like you're a... a present for me to unwrap," Alec whispered, stifling a giggle into Magnus's skin as they stumbled as one towards a door decorated with Post-It notes and an elaborately beaded mask. Alec draped himself over Magnus as the senior struggled to unlock the door, fumbling with the key for a moment before it slid home, opening and swinging open into a darkened room. Magnus dragged Alec inside and slammed the door shut as he pushed him against the door, twisting the lock before he grinned and pressed himself against the sophomore again.

"I have to say, drunk Alec is very cute," he murmured, a soft smile curling his lips before he pulled Alec into a lingering kiss. He stepped away, far too soon in Alec's opinion, and slapped at the wall until he flipped on the light switch, smiling happily as he grabbed Alec's hand and tugged him further into the room. Alec blinked owlishly in the sudden brightness and peered blearily around, noting one bed and one desk in the room.

"You've got a single?" he asked, forcing clarity into the words.

"Yeah. It was supposed to be a resident assistant's room, but since there's RAs in the townhouses on either side of ours, this one was up for grabs. Oh, shit," Magnus muttered as he tripped over the desk chair as he walked into the room. "Anyway, I got lucky - it's even got its own bathroom," he added, waving a hand over his shoulder towards the beaded curtain hanging over a doorway in the corner of the room.

Nosy as he was, Alec ambled towards the beads and pushed his way through, glancing around as he found himself in a walk-in closet before he pushed open the bathroom door. His mind immediately flooded with the possibilities of a private bathroom, all of which made his cheeks flush hot. He turned around, instantly tangled within the beads, and finally extricated himself to see Magnus had turned off the harsh overhead light. The room was instead illuminated by a few Himalayan salt lamps, giving off a soft orangey-pink glow.

Magnus stood in the middle of the room, his hands fidgeting at his sides as his gaze fixed on Alec. He looked so incredibly hesitant and unsure and all at once, Alec's heart burst open. He quickly crossed the room, sweeping one arm around Magnus's waist and cupping his jaw as he pulled him into a deep kiss. Magnus's arms wrapped around Alec's shoulders, fingers gripping at Alec's shirt.

"I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you into anything," Magnus told him as Alec walked them back towards the bed, both of them tripping and stumbling as they kicked out of their shoes.

"You're not, I promise," Alec reassured him. "I want this. I want you."

"You're drunk," Magnus pointed out, doing nothing to prevent Alec from tugging his shirt out from his pants.

"Only a little bit. And so are you," Alec said, unfastening the last few buttons of the sheer top and pushing it wide.

"Only a little bit," Magnus breathed, his eyes wide as Alec's hands drifted over his chest, thumbs circling peaked nipples before dragging down over outrageously defined abs.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" Alec murmured, his gaze feasting on the sight.

Magnus's gaze softened as he stared up at Alec, his hands brushing over the buttons of Alec's shirt and carefully slipping each one from its buttonhole. When the final button had been opened, Magnus curled his fingers into the open edges of the shirt as he slowly sat back on the bed, pulling Alec with him and giving him plenty of time to say no. Alec couldn't imagine a world where he would ever say no.

Magnus reached up, pressing a sweet kiss against Alec's lips as he pushed the shirt from his shoulders. Alec tossed the shirt to the floor and framed Magnus's face with his hands, his thumbs brushing over Magnus's cheekbones as he deepened their kiss, one knee on the bed as he leaned over the older boy. Magnus arched up and pulled Alec down against him before he carefully rolled them over to lay Alec onto the bed. He settled easily between Alec's legs, their hips slotted together without an inch of space to spare.

"Fucking hell, it's like you were sculpted out of marble or something," Magnus muttered, his hand sweeping over Alec's abs and chest.

"I work out," Alec responded stupidly. Magnus smirked down at him and ducked his head to suck a hot kiss just over Alec's heart.

"Clearly, darling," Magnus whispered as he let himself drop onto Alec, settling into slow lazy kisses as he rolled his hips. Alec's mind raced at the feel of Magnus's chest resting against his, the open edges of Magnus's shirt brushing his sides, their hips gently rocking together, and Magnus staring down at him like he was heaven sent.

Alec's hands slid underneath Magnus's shirt as they moved, fingers grasping and digging into firm muscles, his breath stuttering against Magnus's lips at a particularly enthusiastic thrust. His arousal skyrocketed, desperate for Magnus in every way. His eyes slid closed, letting Magnus set their pace as they rutted against each other, a high whine building in his throat as Magnus's cock slid against his, still too many damn layers separating them. He wanted more, everything that Magnus would give him. It was terrifying, wanting one person so much, but Alec couldn't do anything but throw himself into the abyss.

"Fuck, I just - I need -" Alec gasped out, words failing him.

"Can I -"

"_Yes_, fuck yes!" Alec didn't even know what he was agreeing to, but at that moment, he would have given Magnus the world if he could.

Magnus wasted no time in sitting back, Alec's long legs bracketing his thighs, as he reached for Alec's belt, quickly unfastening it before tugging open the button and flies on the jeans below. Alec's breath came in a rattling wheeze as he propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes wide and focused on Magnus's hands as they pulled his jeans and boxers down, low on his hips. He bit his lip, watching Magnus wrap long fingers around his cock and give one long stroke.

"Fuck, _Magnus_," Alec gasped out, his fingers twisting in the black and white comforter covering the bed.

"I want to make you feel good, Alec," Magnus asked breathlessly, staring up at Alec's face as his hand moved slowly up and down. "Can I?"

"Yes, yes, _please_, yes!" Alec begged, reaching out and grasping at the edge of Magnus's shirt, tugging him up into a frantic kiss. Magnus pressed him back against the pillows, teeth scraping over Alec's lip as his wrist moved and twisted over his dick. Alec's muscles tensed up, desperate to make this last as long as possible, because it felt fucking _incredible_ and... because he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Magnus by coming in about thirty seconds flat.

"Relax, darling," Magnus teased, his hand squeezing over the head of his cock on the upstroke.

"I want to touch you," Alec pleaded, unlocking his fingers from the blanket to pull at the waistband of Magnus's pants. "Please?"

"Alec..."

"Magnus, please," he whispered against the senior's lips, pulling him into another lingering kiss. He felt, rather than heard, the breathless _yes_ in response and somehow managed to unfasten the leather in record time. "Holy _fuck_, you're not wearing underwear."

"Nope," Magnus responded with a sly grin. "These pants are too tight - the lines would show."

"Son of a bitch, you're gonna kill me," Alec muttered, shoving the tops of the pants further down.

"Not before I make you come - _oh_." Magnus's voice devolved into a breathy groan as Alec reached into those fucking pants, his fingers tentatively brushing over Magnus's cock for a moment before finally taking him in hand.

"You're not helping," Alec mumbled, arching up to catch Magnus's mouth with his own as he pushed the leather off the senior's slim hips.

"Wait - lemme just - hang on - just -" Alec couldn't help his smile as Magnus muttered irritably against his lips in between hard kisses before he finally pulled away with a huff and reached over to the set of shelves sitting next to his bed, digging around for a moment. He sat back, clutching a bottle of lube, and poured a healthy amount into his hand. He tossed the bottle back onto the shelf and leaned back over Alec, capturing his mouth once again with a deep kiss as his slick hand wrapped around both of their cocks, holding them tightly together.

"_Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck._" In no universe would Alec have been able to prevent the litany of syllables pouring from his mouth, a fervent whisper bordering on a filthy prayer, as Magnus stroked both of them at once. Alec pried his eyes open, staring up at Magnus in wonder, watching every minute flutter of his boyfriend's eyes, muscles tensing in his jaw, unsteady exhalations. _Fuck, he's so beautiful._

Alec's hips hitched into Magnus's grip as a white hot fire licked its way up his spine. His hands spread wide over Magnus's waist, holding his boyfriend tight against him, before sliding down over his ass and squeezing, digging his fingers into the firm muscle. Magnus buried his face in the crook of Alec's neck, his teeth scraping over the tight stretch of skin as his hips snapped forward.

All at once, Alec was just _there_ and tipping into oblivion at lightning speed. "Oh, fuck, fuck, _Magnus -!_" He threw his head back against the pillow and came with a breathless groan, pulsing hot over Magnus's hand and over his chest and stomach. A wave of blissful release washed over him and a comfortable fuzziness crawled into the edges of his vision as he sucked in deep lungfuls of air.

He bit back a whimper when Magnus dug his fingers into his hips, rutting against Alec, his cock sliding through the mess of come on Alec's stomach. Magnus glanced up, catching Alec's gaze for just a moment, before his eyes slid closed with a fervently whispered _fuck_ as he followed Alec over the edge. Alec dragged his hands up Magnus's back, pulling him down into a kiss that was all teeth and tongues and panting breaths, heedless of the stickiness between them.

"Fuck, that felt great," Magnus whispered, settling down onto Alec and brushing a light kiss on the underside of his jaw. Alec gave a soft hum of agreement and tightened his arms around Magnus. Between the welcome weight of his boyfriend on top of him, the post-orgasmic lassitude sloshing through his veins, and the alcohol he'd thrown back earlier in the night, Alec's eyes began to slip closed, perfectly content. Judging by the happy little sigh that Magnus breathed against Alec's skin as he tucked his face into his neck, Magnus was of a similar mind.

A loud banging on the door startled both of them back into awareness. "Fuck no, ignore that," Magnus muttered, his voice muffled against Alec's skin. Alec closed his eyes again and tilted his head, resting his cheek on top of Magnus's head as he smiled.

"Magnus! Take off your makeup, you fucker, I don't want to listen to you bitch tomorrow!"

"Oh, my god, I'm going to shove his tea bags down his throat and choke him while he sleeps," Magnus groaned, rolling to Alec's side. Alec frowned and reached for him.

"Where you going?" he mumbled, twisting his fingers in Magnus's shirt.

"Much as I hate to admit it, Ragnor has a point," his boyfriend responded, gently untangling himself from Alec and tugging his pants back up so he could walk. "Plus we're both a mess and I refuse to sleep in sticky sheets." He pressed a quick kiss to Alec's lips and lightly scratched his nails over Alec's chest as he stepped away. Alec shivered as his head rolled to the side, watching the shift of Magnus's ass as he crossed the room, before he sighed and struggled to his feet. He glanced down at his stomach and grimaced at the mess covering his skin.

"Alexander?"

Alec glanced up, blinking blearily to focus his gaze. Magnus was standing in the walk-in closet, one hand with a makeup wipe scrubbing at his eyes, the other holding the beaded curtain aside and extending a damp washcloth. Alec took the washcloth and leaned in to steal another kiss. He pulled back and couldn't help but grin at his boyfriend's appearance, black makeup and glitter streaked around his eyes as he stared up at Alec.

"You're really pretty," he mumbled, his fingers brushing over the open edge of Magnus's shirt. Magnus smiled up at him and reached out, carding his fingers through Alec's hair.

"Clean up, darling," the senior murmured, lifting the makeup wipe back to his face. "Then bed."

"...bed?"

"Only if you want to stay, of course," Magnus added quickly, his eyes wide. "But I'm certainly not going to throw you out."

"I want," Alec breathed, twisting the washcloth in his hands. "To stay, I mean."

Magnus smiled at him again and disappeared back into the bathroom. Alec finished cleaning himself off just as Magnus stepped out of the bathroom, his face scrubbed clean of makeup. They swapped places, Alec quickly rinsing off his chest and stomach and using the bathroom before walking back into the bedroom.

"Sleeping in jeans isn't all that comfortable, so..." Magnus handed him a pair of sweatpants, dressed in a similar pair himself. Alec glanced around, contemplating returning to the bathroom to change. "I've already seen your cock, darling, no need to be shy."

Alec blushed furiously as he pushed his jeans off his hips. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Magnus eyeing him appraisingly as he bent over to pull the sweatpants up his legs. He nudged his jeans into a pile on the floor with his discarded shirt and straightened to see Magnus handing him a bottle of water. "Hangover prevention?"

"Ibuprofen is on the dresser if you want it," Magnus told him with a smirk. _Probably a good idea._ Alec popped two of the pills and drank down half of the bottle, watching Magnus circle the room, turning off all of the lamps other than the one next to his bed. He finally clambered under the covers, holding the blanket back for Alec, holding his gaze as he waited.

Alec placed the bottle of water down on the dresser and quickly stumbled towards the bed, diving under the covers and cuddled right against his boyfriend. Magnus dropped the blanket over them and wrapped his arms around Alec, both of them giggling as they kissed. Magnus's hand curled around the back of Alec's neck, his fingers brushing through his hair and pulling him tight against his lips.

"Shouldn't we turn the light off?" Alec mumbled into Magnus's mouth. Without missing a beat, Magnus rolled them over, leaning over Alec once more, kissing him languorously as he reached out and switched off the lamp. The room descended into darkness as Magnus rolled onto his back, pulling Alec with him.

Alec buried his face in Magnus's neck as he sprawled over his boyfriend, one leg hooked over Magnus's. His fingers dragged over Magnus's chest, barely touching as he inhaled deeply. He sighed happily as Magnus's hands drifted down his back, landing on his waist. They settled into each other, their breaths soft and even as sleepiness crept over them. A slow smile stole over Alec's face and he turned his face, hiding against Magnus's skin.

"Wha'sso funny?" Magnus murmured, his voice heavy with sleep.

Alec ducked his head to press a kiss to Magnus's collarbone. "You think I'm cute," he whispered giddily.

Magnus chuckled softly, one arm tightening around Alec while the other lifted to tilt Alec's face up. "I think you're _very_ cute, Alexander," he responded softly, closing the distance between them to capture his lips again.

Alec felt like his life and his heart were spiralling out of his tight control, becoming intertwined with Magnus's touch, taste, smile, everything about him, more and more every single day. It was insane - they'd been together for a week and Alec was falling dangerously fast for the older boy, and realistically, he knew they should probably slow things down. But when it came to Magnus, he was helpless to pull himself away. He couldn't, didn't want to. He just wanted to see where each day would take them, and he could only hope that each day would have him feeling as safe and happy as he was in Magnus's arms at that moment.

He kissed Magnus again, slowly, before he laid his head down on the pillow, the two of them sharing the same breath as their eyes slipped closed once more. A secret smile blossomed on Alec's face when Magnus brushed his nose against Alec's, the tiniest touch of skin, just before Alec finally succumbed to the tendrils of slumber tugging him into its grasp.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO, YES, HI. Why does life have to be too busy to let me write? I do not like that.
> 
> I offer up some smut as apology? Please, enjoy, my pumpkins. ❤️

The first thought that managed to crawl its way through Alec's fuzzy brain the next morning was that Magnus smelled _incredible_, which really wasn't fair because they'd both been drinking and dancing before they stumbled into bed and they both should be pretty gross. Alec drowsily nudged his face further into the crook of Magnus's neck and inhaled deeply as he stretched out on top of him, their legs tangled together underneath the covers. A sappy smile spread across his lips when he felt Magnus's hand drift up his back, softly grazing over sleep-warm skin, before trailing over his shoulder and sifting through the tangled hair at his temple.

"G'morning," Magnus whispered, barely audible in the quiet hush of the morning.

"Morning," Alec breathed, brushing a barely-there kiss to Magnus's neck. He felt a bit like a gangly octopus, long limbs wrapped around Magnus as much as possible, face and palms pressed against firm skin. Judging by the arms tightly encircling him, Magnus didn't mind in the slightest. "Wha' time is't?"

"Who cares," Magnus responded with a sigh, his cheek a solid weight on Alec's forehead. Alec grinned against his skin and pulled back enough to rest his head next to Magnus's on the pillow. Magnus made an adorable grumbling noise as he rolled onto his side to chase after Alec, using the arm still wrapped around the sophomore's waist to pull him close against his chest. "No moving."

Alec let out a snort that he would deny until his dying day and reached up, letting his fingers trace over the strong curve of Magnus's jaw, the arch of his impossibly high cheekbones, the narrow bridge of his nose, once again marveling that he could do this, that he was able to reach out and touch another man like this. Magnus slowly blinked his eyes open, shimmering gold in the early morning light, as Alec's fingers slipped over the bow of his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to the tips of Alec's fingers, his gaze warm as he stared back at him. He looked younger devoid of his standard makeup, his eyes lighter and more open, and Alec's heart did a funny little flip in his chest.

"Still think I'm pretty?" Magnus asked with a little smirk, his hand heavy on Alec's hip, anchoring him to the bed.

"No," Alec answered immediately. A flare of insecurity flashed in Magnus's eyes and Alec raced to continue. "I think you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen."

Magnus's gaze melted and he pushed himself onto one elbow, pressing Alec back into the pillow as he leaned over him. "That's much better than pretty," he murmured in the second before his lips descended onto Alec's.

The kiss was dizzying, breathtaking, soul-stealing. Alec's hands twisted in the waistband of Magnus's sweatpants, arching up against him as Magnus's fingers sank into his hair. Almost like he'd been trained, his legs spread wider, allowing for Magnus to settle against him completely, their hips coming together in a hard roll. Alec was very quickly becoming addicted to the feel of Magnus against his chest, in his arms, surrounding him in every way.

"Fuck, I can't get enough of you," Alec gasped, tilting his head to the side as Magnus ducked his head, lightly biting at the curve of his neck.

"I wanna get my mouth on you," Magnus whispered, one hand trailing down Alec's chest and slipping beneath the waistband of the borrowed sweatpants. "Can I?"

"_Anything_ \- anything you want, it's yours," Alec panted, his heart racing as Magnus pushed the blankets off them, slithering down his body and pressing hot kisses to his chest and abdomen. Magnus pushed at the sweatpants, leaning down to nip at the jut of Alec's hipbone as it was revealed. Alec lifted his hips at the tap of Magnus's finger on his side, allowing him to pull the sweats down even further.

Alec's fingers twisted in the sheets as Magnus glanced up at him and gave him a filthy smirk before ducking his head and licking a broad stripe up his cock. Alec threw his head back onto the pillow, his mind spinning as Magnus's mouth closed over him. His teeth sank into his lip as he fought to hold back a whimper, the entire universe narrowing to slick, white-hot heat of Magnus's mouth, his tongue pressing against the underside of his cock, that _perfect_ suction -

"Oh, _fuck_," Alec groaned, bright bursts of light sparking behind his eyelids as he squeezed them shut. He felt Magnus pulling at the fingers of one hand and he glanced up with a gasp, watching with stuttered breath as Magnus guided his hand into his hair. Alec stared down at him, his fingers sifting through the soft strands, his palm gently resting as Magnus bobbed his head, taking more of Alec's length into his mouth. Magnus's tongue circled the head of Alec's dick and Alec's fingers flexed involuntarily, sharply tugging on Magnus's hair. Alec instantly opened his mouth to frantically apologize when Magnus moaned around him, sinking further down onto him. His hands curled around Alec's hips, firmly holding him in place against the mattress as he sucked, Alec's grip on his hair tight.

"Shit, you're so fucking gorgeous," he gasped, his gaze locked on the slide of Magnus's lips on his cock, the indentations of his fingertips on Alec's skin white with pressure. The hand not ensconced in Magnus's hair came up, the pad of his thumb brushing across the stretch of his boyfriend's lips. Magnus's eyes fluttered closed as Alec's fingers curved around the back of his neck, drifting over the soft skin, and took Alec's dick deeper into his mouth, nudging against the back of his throat. Alec felt the soft huff of Magnus's exhale, warming the skin just above his cock, and his mind spun at the sensations surrounding him.

With a single contraction of Magnus's throat against the slick head, Alec hurtled over the edge with a strangled shout, hips jerking in Magnus's grip as he came. Magnus's mouth was hot and tight around him as he swallowed before he finally pulled off with an obscene _pop_. He gave Alec's cock a final lick, grinning at the pathetic whimper that slipped from Alec's throat, and knelt between Alec's thighs, spread wide on the bed, shoving his own sweatpants down over his hips.

Alec's limbs had turned to jelly, tiny tremors wracking his body as he came back down from a blissful high, and he watched with hooded eyes as Magnus loomed over him, propped up with one hand on the bed by Alec's shoulder and long fingers wrapped around his cock, stroking it hard and fast. Alec lifted his hand, blunt fingernails lightly dragging over Magnus's bicep as another shiver rattled through his limbs, his back arching in an attempt to close the distance between them.

"Fuck - _fuck_, I'm gonna -"

"C'mon, do it, _do it_," Alec urged, his voice slurred with the bliss licking through his veins. Magnus's gasp devolved into a low groan as he stilled above Alec, coming across his stomach. His arm trembled as he rode out his orgasm and Alec instantly reached up, wrapping his arms around Magnus and tugging him close and into a deep kiss. He tasted himself on Magnus's tongue and rolled his hips against his boyfriend's, both of them shuddering at the overstimulation.

Magnus broke out of the kiss, tipping onto his side and pressing his face against Alec's shoulder, still breathing hard. His hand rested on Alec's chest, one nail scraping over a peaked nipple. Alec jerked at the sharp sensation and Magnus did it again, smirking against his skin. Alec twisted onto his side and pulled Magnus against him once more. The kiss this time was slow and sweet, a 'good morning' kiss completely at odds with the near-desperation that had seized them just moments before.

"Hi," Alec whispered when they finally pulled away, unable to help the grin stretching across his face as Magnus reached out, tangling his fingers in the hair at the nape of Alec's neck.

"Hi," Magnus murmured back, smiling up at him.

"Thank you for letting me stay last night."

"Darling, you're welcome to stay any night," Magnus assured him softly.

"Don't tell me that, I might never leave," Alec teased.

"You say that like it would be a bad thing," Magnus pointed out, giving him that smirk that made his heart do stupid backflips in his chest. He rolled onto his back with a groan, reaching out to grab at his phone where he'd tossed it the night before to check the time. "I hate to say it, Alexander, but if we're going to make it to see the kids today, we'll need to get going."

Alec buried his face into the pillow with a grumble, the fluffy down hiding his giddy smile when he felt Magnus press a kiss between his shoulder blades. "Come on, darling," Magnus urged, slipping out of a disgruntled Alec's arms and to his feet. "We're both in desperate need of showers and you need a change of clothes."

"What's wrong with the clothes I was wearing last night?" Alec asked, his eyes locked on the swing of Magnus's hips, sweatpants slung low on his waist, as the senior picked up the water Alec had abandoned the night before and took a sip.

"I'm assuming they smell like cheap college liquor, which isn't a great impression to make on small children. Plus, that shirt you were wearing was far too fitted and distracting," Magnus commented wryly, reaching over to plug his phone into the charger and swatting Alec's hand away when he hooked two fingers into the loose waistband. "You are _incorrigible_."

"I can't help it!" Alec protested with a grin. Magnus shook his head and leaned over him, pressing him into the mattress as their lips met in a lingering kiss, then another.

"Think you can keep your hands to yourself for a few hours, Mr. Lightwood?" Magnus murmured, his eyes glittering as he gazed down at Alec.

"I'll do my best, Mr. Bane," Alec responded cheekily, his fingers gliding down down Magnus's side, skimming over miles of warm skin.

"Up, Alexander. The children await," the senior announced as he stepped back. Alec reluctantly pulled himself from the warmth of the bed and pressed himself against Magnus's back, burying his nose in Magnus's hair. "Are you always this affectionate in the morning?"

Alec made some sort of noncommittal noise and ducked his head to brush a kiss over the back of Magnus's neck before he finally stepped away with a sigh, reaching for his clothes to dress for the lonely walk back to his dorm. Magnus briefly stepped into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a damp washcloth. Alec bit his lip as Magnus's free hand curled around his hip, dragging the cloth over his stomach and dipping below the waistband of the sweats. Alec caught the aborted whimper high in his throat as Magnus gave a final wipe and stepped back, smiling innocently up at him. He dodged Alec's grip when the sophomore reached for him, imperiously pointing down at the discarded pile of clothes before he stepped back into the bathroom to discard of the cloth. As soon as Alec finished buttoning the admittedly rather fitted shirt, Magnus stepped close, his hands spreading wide over Alec's chest, and pressed another kiss to his lips.

"Meet you outside the arts building in an hour?" he murmured.

"Sounds good." Magnus pushed Alec towards the door with a soft smile as he disappeared into the walk-in closet. Alec glanced back over his shoulder as he opened the door to see Magnus's sweatpants hit the floor just outside the beaded curtain. He swore loudly, Magnus's laugh echoing through the room, and closed the door behind him. He grinned to himself and shook his head before he checked his pockets for his phone and keys and headed around the corner.

"Alec! Come have breakfast with us!"

He halted just inside the door to the townhouse and stuck his head into the common area to see Catarina, Ragnor, Tessa, and Jem sprawled across the chairs, an impressive number of bagels on the table between them.

"Ah... thanks, but I've actually got to go," he said apologetically, stepping closer, fighting back the blush threatening to creep onto his cheeks at the knowing glances Cat and Tessa were giving him. "I'm just heading back to my dorm to shower and then Magnus and I are going to Charlotte's."

"Take a bagel at least," Tessa insisted, fluttering her fingers at the spread. "Ragnor and Jem bought _way_ too many."

"You said 'a bunch of bagels'," Jem protested.

"Yeah, we meant a dozen or so, not twelve thousand," Cat retorted. "Come on, Alec, take at least one of them off our hands." Her gaze narrowed. "You look like a cinnamon raisin kind of guy."

Alec grinned in spite of himself. "You wouldn't be wrong."

Cat's eyes brightened and she sat up, waving him closer as she reached for one of the bagels and spread a thick layer of cream cheese over it. "Here you go!" she chirped as she handed the bagel to Alec wrapped in a napkin. "Magnus would never forgive us if we sent you off without breakfast."

"Oh, he would do no such thing, you horrid wench," Ragnor scoffed, finally looking up from his tablet. "Magnus is perfectly fine when we send his overnight visitors on their way without breakfast."

A cold wave of nausea swept over Alec at Ragnor's words, and his fingers tightened on the bagel, leaving little fingertip-sized indents in the dough. "Is... is he? Fine? When... that happens?" he asked, desperately hoping his voice wasn't sounding as panicked as it did in his own ears.

"Typically, yeah. It's not like Magnus asks us to pull out all the stops or wine and dine them after they've had their fun," Ragnor grumbled, turning his attention back to the screen. "We just send them on their way."

Alec couldn't breathe. He knew he wasn't Magnus's first romantic partner - his demon of an ex was in their writing class, after all - but his heart clutched at the thought that maybe Magnus wasn't on the same page as him. Maybe this was just a fling in Magnus's eyes, a short diversion and wouldn't it be a funny story to tell, the time he convinced a football player to fall head over heels for him. He didn't want to be just another _overnight visitor_ to be sent on his way.

A bagel suddenly flew through the air, bouncing off Ragnor's forehead and scattering sesame seeds everywhere. "What the fuck was that for?!" he demanded, glaring at Cat.

"_Shut the fuck up_, you bumbling monster!" she hissed, her eyes wide as she twisted to stare up at Alec. "He's an idiot, dear, you obviously know that. He doesn't know what he's talking about. You're not -"

"I have to go," Alec mumbled, heat rising in his cheeks as he quickly spun and hurried out of the townhouse, the bagel slipping from his fingers as he ignored Cat's shout after him.

His mind raced as he strode back to his dorm across campus. Logically, he knew he was falling for Magnus far quicker than he should and he was likely going to end up with a stunningly broken heart. Even so, hope kept flaring in his heart whenever Magnus looked at him, warm and happy and affectionate - like Alec was the only person in the world that mattered. The thought that Alec could be just another notch in the bedpost, another faceless hook-up in a line of seventeen thousand others, just another meaningless _fuck_ was absolutely devastating.

Alec unlocked the door to their room and breathed a sigh of relief when Jace was nowhere to be found. He didn't think he could handle any teasing or jokes about his night, not after this latest realization. Mechanically, he plugged his phone into his charger and grabbed his towel and toothbrush, absently scrubbing his teeth before stepping into the shower. Standing under the uneven spray, his fingers trembled when they grazed over the tackiness spattered low across his abdomen, images of the previous night and that morning flashing through his mind. He abruptly turned towards the showerhead and roughly washed himself clean, scraping his skin with the washcloth until it shone pink in the dim lighting of the stall.

He walked heavily back to his room, carding a hand through his damp hair. Should he still go with Magnus to Charlotte's? Should he cancel? Was he overthinking things like Izzy always insisted he did? He kicked the door shut behind him and dropped onto his bed, still messily made from the previous morning, and groaned into his pillow. He'd never felt more pathetic than he did at that moment, pining helplessly over a guy who would probably move on from him in a second.

His grumbling stomach was the only thing that eventually pushed him into action. He rolled off the bed and trudged to his dresser, perfunctorily yanking on a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved Panic! shirt. His phone lit up from its spot on his bed and he glanced over at it, his heart both dropping and soaring all at once when he saw Magnus's call coming through. He picked up the phone, his thumb hovering over the "Accept" button as he stared down at the screen. His entire being yearned to accept the call and hear Magnus's voice, but his muscles refused to move to hit the button, locked into place as Ragnor's voice continually ran through his head. _Overnight visitors. Overnight visitors. Overnight visitors._

The phone screen went black. Magnus had hung up.

Alec dropped the phone onto his bed and sank into his desk chair. What the _fuck_ was he going to do? For a brief moment, he considered calling Izzy or Jace to get their opinion. He quickly discarded that idea - Izzy would just tell him he was overthinking again, and maybe she was right. But he couldn't turn his brain off, he couldn't just ignore the fear rising within him that he and Magnus were on two vastly different places in their views of this relationship.

His stomach growled again and he swore under his breath before pushing himself to his feet. He needed coffee at the very least. Maybe caffeine would help clear his head. He grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys, shoving everything into his pockets before he yanked the door open, slamming it behind him as he headed for the stairs. He gave a half-hearted nod towards one of his teammates as he exited the stairwell on the ground floor, his gaze on the ground as he crossed the entryway. He pushed the front door open and finally glanced up, his eyes widening as he screeched to a halt.

"Magnus."

The senior stood in front of him at the bottom of the few steps leading into the dorm, staring up at Alec, panic and desperation shining in his eyes. "Alec, I'm so sorry," he began breathlessly, carefully placing one foot on the bottom stair. "Ragnor has no idea what he's talking about and I'd never, _never_, want you to think you're not special."

Alec's heart began to melt and he stepped closer, teetering on the edge of the top stair, just three steps from his boyfriend. "Magnus, it's -"

"You've managed to very firmly insert yourself into my life quicker than anyone else I've ever met," Magnus continued, his voice soft and his gaze steady as he took another step. Two stairs now. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. I've never met anyone like you. You make anyone else -"

"Overnight visitors?" Alec whispered, his chest tightening.

"_Anyone else_, whoever they used to be to me, completely in the past," Magnus insisted, stepping onto the stair directly below Alec. "None of them matter to me. Only you." He reached up, his fingers grazing over Alec's jaw. His eyes were sincere and open, locked as they were onto Alec's, and all at once, Alec felt like he could see their entire future in that gaze. His breath caught in his throat. It was fucking _beautiful_.

"_Oh._" Every ounce of breath left his lungs as Magnus finally - _finally_ \- stepped up onto the same level as him. The world around them froze and faded into nothingness as Magnus slowly reached out with his free hand and twined his fingers together with Alec's, the barely-there touch on his jaw solidifying and curving around the back of his neck. Alec's eyes slipped closed as he leaned into the touch, the hand not tangled with Magnus's curling around the senior's hip. Magnus's warmth surrounded him, the faint scent of sandalwood settling his nerves as Magnus pressed their foreheads together, their breaths synchronized and sharing the same air.

Alec couldn't wait any longer. It had been barely an hour since he last kissed Magnus, but it felt like an eternity. As soon as his lips touched Magnus's, he felt as though he could breathe again, a cloud lifting from his mind as the world suddenly righted itself. His fingertips flexed against the smooth fabric of Magnus's shirt, almost afraid that if he didn't hold onto him as tightly as possible, he'd disappear. Magnus's nails scraped through the hair at the back of Alec's neck as they kissed, the faintest tremble betraying the senior's normally unflappable demeanor.

"My Alexander," Magnus whispered when they finally broke apart. He stroked his thumb across the arch of Alec's cheekbone just before Alec pulled him into a tight hug, burying his face into the smooth curve of Magnus's neck.

"Get a fucking room!"

Alec's smile stayed hidden against warm skin even as he lifted a hand to flip Jace off. His brother's laugh echoed in the morning air as he and Clary passed. Magnus's hands swept over his shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze as he pressed a soft kiss on the corner of Alec's jaw, a light chuckle stirring Alec's hair. Alec closed his eyes and breathed deeply, his mind curling around a tiny flame of thrilling realization.

_This feels like home._


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hi, hello there, remember this? DON'T HATE ME. This chapter was a struggle because literally all I wanted to do was skip forward to future chapters. Ones I've already written. Because I have zero self-control.
> 
> Also, please remember I love you and you love me. For future chapters. Because holy FUCK, y'all, the shit I've got planned. Like. Just. _Damn._
> 
> Please enjoy, my sweets. <3

When Alec actually stopped to think about how much his life had changed since the first day of classes that year, he had to take a moment to just stop and breathe. In some ways, he almost didn't recognize himself. He was still doing well in his classes, he was the starting quarterback and they hadn't lost a game yet, he still saw his friends and siblings just about every day, but for the first time, perhaps ever, he was _happy_.

And it was mostly thanks to Magnus.

His heart soared whenever his boyfriend looked at him, warm and affectionate and like Alec was the only person in the world who mattered. Magnus's touch was enough to calm him instantly, brushing fingertips over Alec's cheek or through his hair, lacing their fingers together, resting a steadying hand on his thigh. Half of the time, Alec spent the night with Magnus, the two of them curling around each other under warm covers, whispering secrets and stories in the quiet of their cocoon, Magnus's myriad salt lamps casting a soft glow throughout the space. Alec loved to press his face into the curve of Magnus's neck, inhaling the faint scent of sandalwood that clung to Magnus's skin, smiling against his throat at the light rumble of Magnus's voice against his lips.

Alec was instantly at ease when Magnus was near, grounded and soothing. Jace kept teasing him that he wished Alec had met Magnus when they were little so Alec would have learned what it was to relax years ago. Their two groups of friends were beginning to slowly mix, with the obvious exceptions of Ragnor and Raphael, who didn't mix even within their own group. Just the other day, Cat had flung herself onto Alec's lap at lunch, reaching over to steal a chicken tender and a few onion rings from an outraged Jace all while bemoaning her desperate need for coffee. Magnus had silently handed over the cup he'd had waiting for her, an amused smirk dancing across his lips as she blew him a kiss and sauntered off.

The only wrinkle in his newly ideal life was his parents. He still hadn't dug up the courage to tell them anything, about either Magnus or himself, and a wave of shame slammed into him every time that fact rolled through his mind. He knew Magnus understood - without Alec saying a word, he slipped into the crowds after each home game when Maryse and Robert were making their way over to him with congratulations, his fingers brushing over Alec's as he stepped away. That final touch was extra fortification for Alec, like Magnus knew he needed just the tiniest bit of support to get through another conversation with his parents, just the tiniest bit of strength to hide himself once more.

They'd only been together for about a month, but already, Magnus was home for him. When Alec looked at Magnus, the world seemed brighter; when Magnus pulled him close, warmth surrounded him; when Alec kissed him, he finally understood what it was to open one's heart to another person. He was changed forever, and he never wanted to look back. He was fully aware he was falling for the older boy much faster than he should, the knowledge that Magnus could shatter his heart into pieces terrifying, but he would never - _could_ never - walk away, not so long as Magnus wanted him too.

Alec's mind spun with all of this as they relaxed on Magnus's bed, blankets tangled around them. Magnus had invited him over earlier in the afternoon for a laid-back evening of movies and hanging out, an invitation that Alec had instantly accepted. Halfway through the last movie, Magnus had dozed off, tucked against Alec's side with one hand resting on Alec's bare stomach where his shirt had ridden up. Alec was absently brushing his fingers through Magnus's hair, doing his best to not move an inch otherwise. Magnus had been spending much of his free time in the theatre, helping build the set for their show, running lines, and rehearsing blocking, and he'd been dead exhausted when Alec arrived that night. He shifted his gaze from the Marvel movie playing on the television down to his sleeping boyfriend and smiled to himself. He was _so_ fucking beautiful.

"I can feel you staring at me, you creep," Magnus mumbled against Alec's shoulder, his eyes still closed as his glitter-painted nails gently scratched across Alec's skin.

"When the view looks this good, you can't really blame me," Alec murmured, watching as Magnus's eyes fluttered open and looked up at him.

"I never would have pegged you for a hopeless romantic, Alexander."

"I am when I have the inspiration to be."

Magnus's eyes warmed, his lips curving into a smile as he leaned up and pressed his lips against Alec's, humming softly into the kiss before pulling away and settling back against Alec's shoulder.

"How long was I out?" he asked, stifling a yawn against the back of his hand.

"About an hour or so."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Why would I wake you up? You're exhausted, you need to sleep," Alec pointed out, his fingers slipping underneath the hem of Magnus's shirt at his hip.

"You didn't come over to sit here while I slept, though."

"Magnus, I'm happy to be with you at any time, no matter what we are or aren't doing. I just like being with you," he said, punctuating his mumbled admission with a shrug of his free shoulder, glancing back towards the television to hide the blush rising on his cheeks.

He'd been getting better when it came to speaking about his feelings, especially when it came to Magnus, but there were still times when he had to fight back the embarrassment that was so instinctual after twenty years of hiding everything. He watched Captain America smash his shield into a Nazi as Magnus's hand slid further underneath his shirt, his thumbnail scraping over a peaked nipple. He felt Magnus's smirk against his skin as a shudder rippled through him. "What are you doing for fall break?" he asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject and take the attention off of him.

"Studying lines, working on the set, catching up on some reading," Magnus rattled off. "I should probably work on my thesis paper, but I likely won't in favor of sleeping."

"You're not leaving campus for break?"

"Nope, I never do. It's kind of nice, being one of the only people here." Magnus shifted against him, a long line of heat pressed against Alec's side. "What are your plans?"

Alec's mind raced. "I had originally been planning on going home for break with Jace and Izzy to see our parents and little brother, but..."

"But?" Magnus prompted after a few seconds of silence, tilting his head back to look up at him.

"Maybe... maybe I'll stay on campus?" Alec suggested a bit timidly.

"Darling, you don't need to stay on campus just to keep me company," Magnus assured him. "You should spend time with your family."

"I'd rather spend my time with you," Alec admitted softly. Magnus's eyes widened ever so slightly and he sat up, twisting onto his knees at Alec's side as the arm Alec previously had wrapped around Magnus's waist fell to his thigh. He reached out, fingers twisting in the hem of Alec's t-shirt.

"And what exactly would you like to spend that time doing?" he asked almost coyly.

"Nothing. Anything," Alec stammered, his heart racing as his fingers slid up Magnus's leg, curling around the curve of his hip. "Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything with you," he whispered as Magnus leaned in, sharp teeth nipping at his lip.

"Then you'll get everything I have to give, my darling," Magnus murmured in the moment before he threw one long leg over Alec's lap, straddling him in a single smooth motion.

Captain America was all but forgotten, and they certainly never made it to the next movie.

* * *

"Oh, Alec, what do you mean you're staying on campus for break?"

Jace and Izzy glanced up at him over the phone, placed in the center of the table in the quad where they'd all been working on homework when their mother had called.

"I've just got a lot of work to do and a big paper coming up that I want to get a head start on. It'll be way easier to focus on all that when there's nothing else going on," Alec mumbled, scratching at the flaking paint on the table with a fingernail. Resentment coated his tongue, the bitter tang enveloping him at his lies.

"Well, that makes sense, I suppose, but Max was so looking forward to spending time with you."

"I know, I wish I could, I just... I really feel like I need to take advantage of the time to focus."

Isabelle jumped into the conversation to save him, distracting Maryse with a discussion about where she wanted to go shopping over break. Alec hung his head, digging his fingers into his hair. Jace reached over and silently squeezed Alec's shoulder. The rest of the conversation passed in a blur as Izzy and Jace rushed to get Maryse off the phone. The second Jace reached out and ended the call, Alec dropped his head onto the table with a groan.

"You're staying behind to do _work_?" Jace repeated. "That was the best excuse you could come up with?"

"I'm not actually staying behind to do work," Alec muttered against the worn wood.

"Yeah, no shit, dude, we all know you want alone time with Magnus," his brother scoffed. "But that excuse was pathetic."

"Shut up, Jace," Isabelle retorted, taking a sip of her latte. "Alec, when are you going to tell Mom and Dad about Magnus? You two are pretty much inseparable."

"No, we're not. We're separated right now," Alec pointed out, lifting his head to glare at her.

"Only because you're not allowed to go to rehearsal with him," she responded airily. "Answer the question."

"I don't know!" he grumbled, sitting up. "I want to, I want them to meet him and see how incredible he is and how I'm just - I'm _better_ because of him, but they're both so traditional and Mom is always talking about me getting married to some girl and having tons of kids to continue the Lightwood tradition and..." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "What if I tell them and they hate him? Or they hate me?"

"Alec, they could never hate you," Jace told him. "They might be surprised or upset or taken aback or whatever, but they'd get over it eventually. And even if they didn't, you'd still have me and Izzy and Max."

"And Clary and Simon and Maia," Izzy added.

"And Cat and Jem and Tessa and Ragnor and Raphael," Jace rattled off. Alec began to smile in spite of himself.

"Okay, all right, I get it," he muttered. "I just... I need to find the right time to tell them. And the right way."

"Tell who what?"

Alec looked up, the tightness he hadn't noticed in his chest easing as Magnus slid onto the bench next to him. He leaned in, stealing a kiss that was just a second and a half longer than their usual "hello" kiss. Magnus was smiling softly when they pulled back and Alec reached out, brushing a few tiny wood chips from Magnus's shoulder.

"We were just talking about our parents," Alec told him, watching him pull his laptop out of his bag.

"Oh?"

"And telling them about the two of you," Isabelle added when Alec hesitated once more. Magnus's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline and he glanced at Alec.

"Alexander, you know there's no pressure, right?" he asked quietly. "I mean, I'm all for shouting it from the rooftops, but I don't want to force you into anything."

"No, I know, really, it's not you -"

"We're the ones forcing him," Jace interrupted. "Maryse and Robert deserve to know about you. They should know who's made Alec the happiest I've ever seen him."

"Whenever you're ready," Magnus murmured, ignoring Jace as his eyes stayed focused on Alec's. He reached out, tangling his fingers together with Alec's and squeezing softly. Alec smiled at him and brought their hands up to brush a kiss over Magnus's fingertips.

"What about your parents, Magnus?" Izzy asked, holding her coffee cup with both hands. "Have you told them about Alec?"

"My mother passed away when I was very young," Magnus told her. "And my father... is no longer in my life. So no, he doesn't know about Alec."

"Oh, God. Oh, Magnus, I'm so sorry, I'm such an idiot," Izzy started to babble, her eyes wide, but Magnus cut her off with a casual wave of his hand.

"Nonsense, my dear. While relatively difficult when I was young, my life has been no less rewarding without them and I've had the pleasure of choosing and creating my own family," he explained. "So those close to me and important to me know about Alexander."

"Soooo... what are you guys going to do during break?" Jace asked, the very picture of innocence. Alec glared at him. "What?! I'm allowed to be curious."

"I've got to study lines and I'll drag Alexander along to help build the set. I just rather enjoy campus when it's quiet, that's all," Magnus told him with a smirk. "Certainly no nefarious plans." The hand currently stroking over Alec's inner thigh seemed to claim his plans were potentially a tiny bit nefarious.

"So when you're working on the set, how helpful is Alec actually?" Izzy asked, clearly intrigued. "I've never once seen him pick up a hammer, let alone actually build anything."

"I haven't needed to use a hammer yet," Alec grumbled.

"Although I'm _sure_ his hammering skills are above reproach," Magnus added, his fingers drifting ever so slightly higher.

"I'm not sure that's something I needed to know," Isabelle commented lightly.

"Oh, my God," Alec muttered faintly, a furious blush rising on his cheeks.

"When you think about it, Magnus's opinion of Alec's hammering skills is the only one that matters," Jace pointed out.

"I hate you all," Alec groaned, his elbows thudding onto the table as he buried his face in his hands.

"_Really_ now?" Magnus asked, his voice a quiet purr as he propped his chin on Alec's shoulder. "All of us?"

Alec gave him a side-long glare before sighing and giving him a quick kiss. "No, you're exempt," he responded, his breath hitching as Magnus's fingers squeezed gently. "Put your laptop away," he breathed, his eyes wide as they locked with Magnus's.

Magnus just grinned at him and slid his computer back into his bag before grabbing Alec's hand and tugging him to his feet. Alec shoved his own computer into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he tripped over the bench in his hurry to clamber over it.

"Have fun hammering!" Jace hollered, grinning broadly as they hurried towards Magnus's dorm.

"Fuck off!" Alec shouted back at him, spinning around to flip him off before Magnus grabbed his hand again.

"Ignore him, darling," Magnus murmured into his ear as they cut behind several of the senior townhouses. "Think instead of what I'm going to do to you once we're behind closed doors."

"Fucking _hell_, Magnus," Alec groaned, pushing his boyfriend up against the side of one of the townhouses. He crowded against the senior, digging his fingers into his hair, and tilting his face up to capture his lips in the perfect kiss. Magnus's hands twisted in the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him tight against him, his teeth dragging over Alec's lip.

"_Behind closed doors_, Alexander," Magnus repeated into his mouth.

They made it into Magnus's room in record time. Magnus promptly shoved Alec back against the door, attacking Alec's neck with hot kisses even as their hips settled desperately against each other.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered, his lips brushing over the pounding pulse in Alec's neck.

"You, I want you," Alec gasped, his fingers groping at Magnus's shoulders.

"Me what?" Magnus gently bit down on that pulse, and Alec's hips jerked forwards.

"Fuck me," Alec swore faintly, his mind spinning as it sluggishly dug through exactly what Magnus was asking, his entire focus on the hard roll of their hips as they moved together. His boyfriend glanced up at him, his eyes glittering.

"That can certainly be arranged," he whispered cheekily, "but if I'm getting in that incredible ass of yours, I'm wining and dining you first."

Alec's face flushed as Magnus's words hit him. He hadn't meant his outburst quite like _that_, but now that the idea was out there... holy _shit_, Alec fucking wanted that. More than anything else in the world.

"I don't need to be wined and dined, I just want you," he mumbled, his fingers tugging Magnus's shirt from his pants.

"You may not need to be wined and dined, but I certainly want to," Magnus told him with a grin. "Gotta make sure your first time is memorable."

"I have no doubt that every time with you will be memorable," Alec insisted.

Magnus's eyes widened in surprise, as they always did when Alec made an unexpected declaration of affection. He curled his fingers into the front of Alec's shirt and pulled him backwards towards the bed.

"Get over here, Lightwood," he ordered softly, both of them tumbling onto the covers. "I want to get my hand on that gorgeous cock of yours."

"God, your fucking _mouth_."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is literally just 5,000+ words of smut. I regret nothing.
> 
> I adore you all. Please enjoy, my dearests. <3

Fall break inexplicably began with weather befitting a summer beach day. Alec shoved up the sleeves of his worn sweatshirt as he followed Jace, Isabelle, and Clary out to Jace's beat-up car for their three-hour drive home.

"Last chance to change your mind, big brother," Isabelle told him as she slung her bags into the trunk, her eyes glittering teasingly.

"Tempting offer, but I think I'll stick with my original plans," he told her with a grin, sliding his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

She gave him a quick hug before hopping into the backseat. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Seconding that," Jace added, smirking as he clapped a hand onto Alec's shoulder. "Enjoy your alone time, buddy."

"Ignore them both and just have fun away from them all," Clary advised, rolling her eyes as she stepped in to hug Alec. "Tell Magnus we said hi!"

Alec shook his head and stepped back as Jace and Clary slid into the front seats. The car rumbled to life and Jace rolled the window down as he shifted it into drive. "Don't forget to hydrate!" he shouted over the thumping bass of his music.

"Fuck off!" Alec yelled back, flipping him off as the car pulled out of the parking spot. He watched them turn out of the lot onto the main road and disappear around the far turn, smiling to himself. His siblings were idiots, but he'd be nothing without them.

He glanced around at the nearly empty parking lot. Most of the student body had left for break the night before, choosing to take advantage of most professors cancelling Friday afternoon classes and heading out early. As a result, campus was nearly deserted. A thrill ran through him at the realization that he and Magnus would have the entire campus nearly all to themselves. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt and turned towards the senior townhouses, his heart already feeling lighter as he headed towards his boyfriend's dorm.

Magnus swung the front door open as Alec walked up, greeting him with a wide smile and a sweet kiss. "Everyone head out?"

"Just left," Alec said, closing the door behind him. "Clary says hi."

"And Jace and Isabelle?" Magnus asked, his eyes sparkling as he headed towards his room.

"Are idiots and what they said doesn't deserve repeating," Alec muttered, fighting back a blush as Magnus grinned. "Is everyone here gone?"

"They are. Most of the house left on Thursday, and Jem and Tessa left yesterday," Magnus explained, ducking into his closet to change. "I'm the lone inhabitant now."

"And our plans for the day?" Alec asked, dropping his sweatshirt onto Magnus's desk chair.

"The set won't build itself, Alexander," Magnus pointed out cheekily as he stepped through the curtains again. Alec's mouth went dry as his eyes darted over the shift of Magnus's biceps, on full display in the sleeveless tank top he was sporting. "You're staring, darling."

"Yep."

A slow smirk spread over Magnus's lips and he stepped close, his fingers sliding underneath the hem of Alec's t-shirt. "See something you like?" he asked, settling against Alec as Alec draped his arms over Magnus's shoulders.

"Very much so," Alec admitted, his hands dragging down the firm skin of Magnus's arms.

"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that," the senior murmured, his eyes downcast. He hesitated for a moment before he glanced up at Alec, his gaze obviously tentative. "Alexander, you know I'm not trying to rush you into anything, right?"

"What? Of course I know that. Why would you think I wouldn't?" Alex asked him, completely bewildered.

"I just... I wanted to make sure you didn't think... I mean, I'm not going to be upset if..."

"You want to make sure I actually want to have sex and I'm not feeling pressured into it," Alec stated, suddenly connecting the dots. "Magnus, are you serious?"

"I just want to check!" Magnus responded defensively, glaring at him. "Jace and Isabelle have both made so many jokes about it all recently and you always seem embarrassed or -"

"Well, I mean, yeah, because I haven't... you know, I've never had... with anyone..." Alec gave a self-conscious shrug, and Magnus's fingers tightened against him.

"Which is why I want to make sure you don't regret anything," he murmured, his thumb stroking over the skin just above Alec's waistband.

"I could never regret anything with you," Alec responded instantly.

"And I want to make sure it's special for you," Magnus added, tilting his face up toward Alec's.

"Everything is special when I'm with you," Alec told him, closing the distance between them and capturing Magnus's waiting lips. A shiver ran down his spine when Magnus dragged his hands up Alec's back and swept his t-shirt off in one smooth motion. He dropped the discarded shirt onto the floor and ducked his head to press a hot open-mouthed kiss to Alec's collarbone.

Alec yanked at Magnus's shirt, tugging and pulling at it until Magnus finally snatched it over his head and threw it behind him. They stumbled backwards, tripping onto Magnus's bed and falling in a tumble onto the sheets. Alec ended up looming over Magnus, knees spread wide across Magnus's thighs. Magnus reached up, curling his hands around the back of Alec's neck and pulling him back down into a desperate kiss of tongues and teeth and groping fingers.

Alec wormed a hand between them, plunging beneath the waistband of Magnus's sweatpants and wrapping around Magnus's cock. He smiled against Magnus's lips and muffled his groan with another kiss as his fingers twisted over firm skin, blazing hot beneath his touch. He'd lost track of how many times he'd done this over the past month of their relationship, but it never failed to astound him that he was here. He was the one causing Magnus's breathing to stutter, to set his hips hitching forward, to make his eyes flutter and roll back. The rest of the world could fuck straight off - this sight was Alec's and Alec's alone.

"_Fuck_, that feels so good, angel, don't stop," Magnus moaned, his fingers twisting in Alec's hair even as Alec's fingers twisted over the head of his cock. Alec leaned down, his teeth scraping over the tight cording of muscle in the side of Magnus's neck. Magnus's hand scratched down Alec's back, his fingers digging into the waistband of Alec's jeans as Alec stroked. Alec's senses were filled with Magnus - his scent, his taste, the feel of him writhing beneath Alec, the sounds he was making as Alec brought him closer and closer to his release. The hand in Alec's hair tightened, dragging Alec back up into a desperate kiss as Magnus's muscles tensed. Alec swallowed Magnus's sighing whimpers as he came over Alec's hand, pulsing hot and sticky across his stomach.

Alec's dick was rock-hard trapped in his jeans as he watched Magnus stretch on his bed, completely blissed out. He shifted backwards and pressed the heel of his hand to his cock, shivering at the sensations rocketing through him. Magnus's fingers suddenly batted his hands away, quickly unfastening the button on his jeans and tugging down the zip. Long fingers wrapped around his dick and gave a few firm strokes before letting go, much to Alec's dismay.

"Get up here, Alexander," he whispered, his hands curling over the tops of Alec's thighs and pulling at him.

"What -"

"I want your cock in my mouth, darling," Magnus told him, his eyes glittering against the dark pillow. "Get. Up. Here. Now," he repeated, punctuating each word with a hard tug against Alec's legs. Alec's back bowed at Magnus's statement and he quickly shuffled up the bed on his knees, aided by Magnus's guiding hands. He hesitated for a brief moment, straddling Magnus's chest, before the senior's hands tightened on Alec's thighs and hauled him closer. Alec slapped his hands against the wall behind the bed as he stared wide-eyed down at his boyfriend, watching as Magnus pulled one hand free and guided his cock into his mouth.

Alec's brain short-circuited, every thought and function screeching to a halt at the sight of Magnus's kiss-reddened lips sliding further down Alec's length. Magnus gazed up at him, his eyes dark and blown as his hand returned to its previous spot on Alec's leg, waiting expectantly. A low whine built in Alec's throat as he hovered over Magnus, the senior's tongue pressing against the underside of his cock. His hips hitched further between Magnus's lips, and Magnus simply opened his mouth wider, staring up at Alec.

"Oh, _fuck_, Magnus," Alec groaned as realization dawned in his mind. He reached down with one hand, curling around the back of Magnus's neck as he gave a tentative thrust. His cock slid into Magnus's mouth, enveloped in white hot heat, his hips rolling forward as he chased his orgasm, fucking Magnus's mouth like the senior clearly wanted him to do. Magnus's hands stretched across Alec's thighs, fingertips digging into Alec's ass. Alec's own fingers tightened on Magnus's neck and scratched through his hair. Magnus tilted his head back the tiniest bit, allowing Alec's cock to inch further into his mouth, nudging against the back of his throat. Alec lifted his hands, brushing over the bulge of his dick against Magnus's cheek. "Fuck. _Fuck_, you're so fucking gorgeous," he whispered, his hips rolling harder into Magnus's throat.

Magnus shifted underneath him, a low hum rippling against the head of Alec's cock, hurtling Alec over the edge. He pressed himself deep into Magnus's mouth and came hard, his cock jerking against Magnus's tongue. He shuddered as, through glazed eyes, he watched Magnus swallow, his obscenely talented tongue licking up Alec's cock and sucking him clean. Alec collapsed to his side, shivering when Magnus pulled him against himself, his softening cock pressing against Magnus's hip.

"Was that special as well?" Magus asked with a smirk, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Mmm. That probably shouldn't be as hot as it is, should it?" Alec mumbled, dragging a finger down Magnus's throat. Magnus grinned up at him and leaned over, brushing a lingering kiss against Alec's lips. "And yes, very special, as always."

Magnus hummed against his mouth and kissed him again before settling back down against Alec's side. "If you're sure, darling -"

Alec groaned loudly and rolled to lean over Magnus. "Magnus. Seriously. Yes. I'm sure. I'm positive that I want to have sex with you. I want... I want you to fuck me, I do. You're just - fuck, I'm - honestly, it's like... you're just so fucking _incredible_ and I just... I want to have that. With you," he finished softly. Magnus smiled up at him, his face lighting up brilliantly, and leaned up, wrapping his hand around the back of Alec's neck and pulling him into a hard kiss.

"Well. In that case, let's make a plan," he whispered, his fingers sifting through Alec's hair.

"Why do we need a plan?"

"Wining and dining, Alexander. I intend on treating you right if you want me to fuck you." Alec shivered at the thought and ducked his head, kissing Magnus again. "Not right this moment, darling. We have a set to build."

* * *

That Monday morning, Magnus shooed Alec out of the dorm, giving him strict instructions to stay out of the townhouse until that evening. Alec spent the morning in the gym, his thoughts scattered and distracted as he thought about Magnus's preparations and what he was doing. He finally left mid-day after he spent nearly twenty minutes on the treadmill without turning it on, taking a quick shower before he headed to his favorite coffee shop just off-campus to grab a light lunch. He brought his laptop and a book Magnus had recommended for him with every intention of working on a paper or reading for several hours. Instead, he found himself staring at a blank page with three sentences written and rereading the same paragraph five times. His concentration was completely gone. All he wanted to do was turn around and run back to Magnus.

Finally - _finally_ \- the time Magnus had given him that morning arrived. Alec frantically packed his things up and hurried from the coffee shop, heading back across campus at a brisk pace. As he approached the front door to the townhouse, he pulled Cat's student ID out of his bag - she'd dropped it off on Magnus's desk before she'd left with a knowing wink and Magnus had slipped it into Alec's back pocket that morning before pushing him out of the house. He tapped it onto the card reader and pushed the door open to hear a string of obscenities echoing from the kitchen. Frowning, he turned the corner and saw Magnus hunched over the stove, swearing more than Alec had ever heard from him before.

"Magnus!" Alec dropped his backpack onto the ground and hurried over to him, spinning the senior away from the stove and checking him over for any possible injuries. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Magnus pulled away from him and raked a hand through his hair, glaring down at the pans on the stove. "I burned the damn risotto. It's ruined." Alec followed his gaze to see a gluey, sticky mess in the biggest pan, bits and pieces of charred rice dotting the dish. Against his better judgment, a tiny smile crept onto his face. "It's not funny!" Magnus protested, crossing his arms irritably as he transferred his glare from the pan to Alec. "I was trying to make the perfect romantic dinner for you so tonight would be special, and the _fucking rice_ took on a mind of its own."

"Magnus, come on," Alec said placatingly, reaching out and curling his hand around Magnus's hip. "I've told you a thousand times I don't need to be 'wined and dined', I don't need a special dinner or candles or whatever. All of that stuff - while incredibly sweet of you that you wanted to do that for me - is just extra stuff. I don't need perfect, I just need you."

"But -"

"_Seriously_. You're all I could ever want," Alec confessed in a hushed whisper, lowering his eyes.

Magnus's hands framed Alec's face, tilting his gaze back up to meet his own eyes, wide and wondering. "You never cease to amaze me, Alexander," he murmured, pulling Alec into a lingering kiss. Alec's arms wrapped around his boyfriend, holding him tight against him. Magnus suddenly pulled back and pointed at the stove. "But dinner -"

"Turn off the stove, Magnus," Alec told him softly. "We'll order pizza and clean up later. Just... take me to bed?"

Magnus glanced back down at the stove and up at Alec again before his gaze warmed. He leaned up, kissing Alec harder until they were both breathless. Heat surged through Alec's veins as Magnus reached out and switched the burners off. He wrapped his fingers in the front of Magnus's shirt and tugged him out of the kitchen, both of them tripping and stumbling as they made their way to the bedroom. Magnus's hands were wrapped around the back of Alec's neck, pressing himself against Alec as they kissed. He kicked the door shut behind them before tearing himself away from Alec.

"What -"

"Dinner may have been an epic failure, but close your eyes and give me a minute and this part of the evening can at least go as planned," the senior instructed, grabbing Alec's hands and lifting them to cover his eyes.

"Magnus -"

Magnus glared at him until Alec dutifully covered his eyes. He listened to Magnus hurry around the dorm room, listening to something click several times before tapping at his computer. Finally, Magnus's fingers wrapped around Alec's wrists and pulled them away from his face just as music started playing quietly. Alec glanced around, his gaze taking in Magnus's salt lamps glowing softly and the little candles dotting the room. His heart swelled and he laced their fingers together, ducking his head to steal a kiss.

"I, um... God, Magnus, you're amazing," he murmured. Magnus smiled up at him.

"You deserve nothing but the best, darling," Magnus told him, his hands slipping underneath Alec's shirt and spreading wide over his abs. "But I want you to tell me if you want me to stop at any time or if you don't like something or if you want me to do something else or -"

"I'll tell you," Alec promised breathlessly. His pulse skyrocketed as he stared down at his boyfriend. This was actually happening. They were really doing this.

Magnus dragged his hands up Alec's chest, pushing his shirt up as his fingers circled Alec's nipples. "Arms up," he instructed softly. Alec instantly raised his arms and allowed Magnus to pull his t-shirt over his head, dropping it onto the ground. Alec's fingers slid into Magnus's belt loops as the senior quickly unbuttoned his own shirt, letting it slip from his fingers with a quiet rustle of fabric. Magnus leaned up for a kiss, a silent request that Alec immediately answered, as he unfastened Alec's jeans and pushed them to the floor, followed by his boxers. Alec toed out of his sneakers and kicked his clothes aside as Magnus pulled off his own pants and draped them over his desk chair.

"On the bed, darling, hands and knees," Magnus told him in between lingering kisses, walking him backwards. Alec stole another kiss before spinning and clambering onto the covers, twisting his fingers into the sheets to hide their slight tremble. The mattress dipped as Magnus knelt next to him, reaching to grab the bottle of lube he kept on the shelves there. He leaned down, dropping light kisses onto Alec's back, beginning at the nape of his neck and traveling down to the base of his spine. He tapped the inside of Alec's knees. "A little wider for me, darling."

Alec didn't quite suppress the shudder that rattled down his back as he widened his stance, thankful that Magnus couldn't see the deep flush spreading over his face. He felt completely exposed, and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it. Magnus's hand trailed over his hip before dipping lower, spreading wide over one cheek. His thumb pressed just inside the cleft of Alec's ass and pulled, opening him up slightly. "You look gorgeous, Alexander," he murmured, his voice tight as he settled behind Alec.

Alec opened his mouth to respond and managed only a strangled choke when he heard the snap of the bottle cap. His teeth dug into his lip as Magnus's hand swept over his back in soothing strokes. Every muscle in Alec's body tensed as the slick pad of Magnus's finger brushed over his hole. "Relax, darling," Magnus whispered, bending over Alec and pressing a kiss to the center of his shoulders. "This won't feel good if you don't relax and I don't want to hurt you."

Alec pushed his face into the pillow, his fingers gripping the edges as he forced himself to breathe deeply. Magnus's finger never stopped moving, slow circles spreading lube across his skin. He sucked in a sharp breath when the tip of Magnus's finger breached him, just barely sliding inside before slipping out again. Alec squeezed his eyes shut against the pillow and focused on the calming touch of Magnus's other hand on his back, letting the repetitive motions relax him as his finger slid into his body once more, just a little further.

"This okay?" Magnus asked quietly, his fingers dragging over the ridges of Alec's spine.

"Yeah." Alec's voice sounded hoarse in his ears and a stuttering breath escaped him as Magnus worked his finger deeper and deeper, until the backs of his other fingers brushed against Alec's ass.

"How does that feel, darling?" Magnus pressed a kiss to the base of Alec's spine as his finger withdrew, circling Alec's hole a few times before sinking back in.

"Feels... different," Alec mumbled into the pillow. His breath hitched as Magnus's finger slid in just a tiny bit quicker.

"Another?"

Alec's heart rate kicked up at the thought, and he nodded his assent at the mattress. He caught an aborted moan high in his throat when Magnus pulled his finger free and shifted on his knees as he listened to Magnus open the lube once more. Two slick fingertips pressed against his hole and he unconsciously slid one knee wider as Magnus carefully stretched him. Alec's mind was spinning as Magnus worked his fingers deeper into Alec's body. It burned and ached, but somehow in the best way possible and he pressed his chest towards the bed, his hips canting back as he silently asked for more. Magnus kept his pace slow and steady, long fingers twisting and stretching and carrying Alec into the stars.

"Magnus..." He shuddered desperately as Magnus's fingertips hooked onto his rim, gently pulling him open. Magnus hummed softly as his fingers slid in again. "_Fuck_. Come on, Magnus, _please_."

"More?"

"_Yes._"

"You look incredible like this, by the way," Magnus told him conversationally as he slowly pressed back in with three fingers. "Bent over, ass out, taking my fingers so beautifully." Alec moaned into the pillow as he felt every centimeter of all three fingers stretching deep within him. His blood sang as it raced through his veins and his skin was unbearably hot all over. He tentatively rocked back, chasing Magnus's fingers as they withdrew again and again. "You feel fantastic, hot and wet and like silk around my fingers."

"If you keep talking like that, this is going to be over before we even get started," Alec choked out, biting back a giddy laugh. He felt amazing, loose and carefree and safe in Magnus's grip. His boyfriend chuckled and leaned down to scrape his teeth over Alec's hip.

"I just want to make sure you're properly stretched, Alexander," he reminded Alec, thrusting his fingers in once more. "I don't want to -"

"Hurt me, I know, I know, but you won't," Alec gasped out, nearly desperate to have Magnus inside him. "Just - _please_, I want you!"

"You are devastating, my darling, and I can't refuse you anything," Magnus said, his voice finally sounding affected as he slipped his fingers free. Alec bit his lip, the minute bloom of pain centering him as he listened to Magnus tearing open the foil of the condom package. Just as Magnus's hand returned to his hip, Alec made a split second decision.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" Magnus demanded breathlessly. Alec squirmed around on the bed, all gangly arms and legs as he flopped onto his back and stared up at Magnus. His legs were spread wide, on either side of Magnus's own, and he felt his cheeks flushing self-consciously even as he reached for his boyfriend.

"I want to see you," Alec whispered.

"Alexander, it'll be easier if you're -"

"I don't want easy. I want to see you when you're fucking me," Alec insisted, his hands curling around the back of Magnus's neck and pulling him into a messy kiss. Magnus's hand landed on Alec's knee and stroked up his thigh, his thumb brushing over the length of his cock. Magnus's mouth caught the high whine from Alec's throat and he swept his thumb over the sticky head before pulling back and licking it clean. "_Fuck_."

"Come here, my beautiful angel," Magnus murmured. He maneuvered Alec's legs around his narrow hips, already flush against Alec's ass, one hand pushing a leg towards Alec's chest. He gazed down as he rolled his hips, the head of his cock catching on Alec's entrance. "Shit, but this view is stunning."

"_Magnus_," Alec begged, past the point of caring.

Magnus grinned wickedly down at him and grasped his cock, guiding it towards Alec's hole. He paused right as the tip of his dick pressed against the tight muscle. "You should probably know I've been dreaming about this since I saw you on that tour two years ago," he confessed as the head of his cock popped past the final bit of resistance that Alec's hole had to offer.

Everything about the moment would be forever seared in Alec's memory. The warm glow of the room, the faint sweet scent of the candles and the flames flickering shadows on the walls, the Billy Lockett song drifting softly from the speakers, the prickling heat of Alec's skin, the almost too-intense burn as Magnus's dick inched further inside of him, and the look - _the look_ \- of Magnus's eyes on him as he pressed himself into Alec's body... everything was perfect.

Alec threw his head back onto the pillow, sucking in a stuttering breath. He felt lightheaded, like he couldn't breathe. Magnus's hands were tight on his skin, ten pinpoints of sanity as he slowly lost his mind. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, oh _fuck_, you feel amazing, holy shit," he babbled, his fingers digging into his boyfriend's shoulders.

"_God_, Alec, you're so tight. So fucking beautiful," Magnus gasped as he bottomed out, his cock firmly seated in Alec's ass. Alec felt like he was being torn apart and he never wanted to be put back together again.

"When the hell did you get so big?" he demanded breathlessly, one hand sweeping over Magnus's arm, his eyes rolling back when Magnus wrapped firm fingers around Alec's cock and gave it a few quick strokes. "_Fuck!_"

Magnus grinned down at him, a light flush spreading over his chest as he released Alec's leg, guiding it to wrap around his hips. "Keep up the compliments, pretty boy, and I'll fuck you all night," he said teasingly, rolling and circling his hips into Alec. Alec couldn't help the wide smile that spread across his face and he let his arm drape across his eyes as his body settled against the intrusion.

"Shit, I can't believe how fucking good you feel," he admitted, giggling a bit as Magnus stilled deep within him. "Wait, wait, don't stop!"

"Demanding, aren't we, darling? I haven't even really gotten started," Magnus pointed out, reaching up to scrape a nail over Alec's nipple.

"Well, then - _hey!_ \- what are you waiting for?" Alec's indignant tone devolved into a deep groan as Magnus, still grinning like the goddamn Cheshire Cat, slowly pulled out until just the head of his cock remained inside Alec. He gave a few short pumps of his hips, his dick just barely sinking back into Alec's body. "Magnus, _come on!_ Just - fuck - I want - _please!_"

"How can I say no to begging like that?" the senior asked, wrapping both of his hands around Alec's hips and _finally_ beginning to fuck Alec in earnest, his pace increasing with each thrust. Alec stared up at him, watching the shift of every muscle, darkening pupils, the sweat dewing on his brow, and fucking _shit_, the very sight of him was hot as hell.

Magnus tightened his grip and tilted Alec's hips just _there_ and stars exploded in front of Alec's eyes. Alec's fingers scrabbled at Magnus's arms as Magnus proceeded to fuck his cock straight into that spot over and over over and over again. Molten pleasure raced through Alec's veins when Magnus lowered himself onto Alec, tucking his face against Alec's neck and hauling Alec into his arms, his hands curled around his shoulders. Alec's fingers dug into Magnus's back, his nails scratching at warm skin as Magnus fucked him relentlessly. Alec's cock was trapped between them, endlessly rubbing against Magnus's fucking washboard abs. A pathetic whimper slipped from Alec's lips and he shivered when Magnus's chuckle rumbled against his throat.

"Something wrong, darling?" he panted, pulling back the tiniest bit to drop a light kiss to the hollow of Alec's throat.

"Fuck, no. Never wrong. Not with you. _Fuck_, don't stop, please don't stop," Alec pleaded, his voice hoarse as he wrapped his legs around Magnus's waist.

"Alexander, I'd very happily live with my cock in your incredible ass for the rest of my life if I could," he promised. Alec curled up, his abs crunching uncomfortably as he reached for Magnus, dragging him into a breathless kiss, desperate to taste his boyfriend. Magnus surrounded him, seeping into his every cell, and Alec never wanted anything else.

_Holy _shit_, I'm in love with him._

Fueled by that sudden realization, his orgasm caught him entirely by surprise, the delicious friction of Magnus's abs against his cock all he needed to throw him into the abyss. His nails dug into Magnus's shoulders as Magnus swallowed his shout, his hand sweetly framing Alec's face as he came, hot and sticky, between them, tightening almost painfully around Magnus's cock. His boyfriend followed him into bliss four short thrusts later, fucking deep inside Alec's body. Alec shuddered, his eyes fluttering, when he felt Magnus come hard inside him.

_I'm in love with Magnus Bane._

They remained tightly entwined for a few moments longer, Alec wrapped entirely around Magnus, his ass throbbing in time to his slowing heart rate, his mind spinning. Too soon, in Alec's opinion, Magnus began pulling away, carefully sliding out of Alec's body. Through hooded eyes, Alec watched a bead of sweat roll down Magnus's chest as he slipped the condom off and tied it, leaning over the end of the bed to drop it into the trash by his desk. He turned back to Alec, smiling softly when Alec held out a hand, a dopey grin spreading across his face. He laid back down, gathering Alec into his arms. Alec's arm encircled Magnus's waist as he pressed his face into Magnus's neck. He inhaled deeply - Magnus smelled of sandalwood, jasmine, sweat, and musk and the combination enveloped Alec as completely as Magnus's embrace.

"How are you feeling, darling?" the senior asked after a few minutes. Alec shifted to look up at him, wincing at the deep ache.

_I love you, I love you, I love you._

"Sore," he admitted instead, his voice soft, "but fantastic. That was perfect."

Magnus kissed his forehead. "Even without the risotto?"

"Oh, my God, forget about the fucking risotto," Alec grumbled, leaning in to steal a hard kiss. Magnus grinned and kissed him again.

"Pizza it is, then."

"In a bit," Alec added, sighing happily as he settled back against Magnus's side. "This is nice."

"You are truly astonishing, Alexander," Magnus told him, brushing his fingers through Alec's sweaty hair.

"I want extra cheese."

"I know, darling."

_I'm so in love with you._


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was originally something like twelve thousand words. Reeeeeal long. >.> And because I enjoy torturing y'all, I split it in two lol. *runs and hides*
> 
> Enjoy, my preciouses. <3

That week of fall break was easily the best of Alec's life up until that point. He and Magnus spent every minute together. Magnus accompanied Alec to the gym for his workouts, each of them finishing with either the treadmill or the elliptical and a run back to Magnus's dorm. Alec followed Magnus's lead in the set-building, hesitantly accepting the power tools at arms-length as Magnus showed him out to use them. They visited Charlotte, Madzie, and the rest of the kids several times that week, all of the children going wild for the ice cream sundae bar that they brought over. Magnus even extolled Alec's cooking skills the few times Alec cooked an actual meal for them rather than relying entirely on take-out.

Alec found himself falling more and more in love with Magnus each day. His heart ached every time he looked over at the older boy and he despaired of every time Magnus climbed out of bed to get dressed. After their first time together, they were insatiable. Alec would catch Magnus staring at him, eyes heated and suggestive, and Alec was instantly desperate for him. They fucked in bed, against the wall, across the desk, and one memorable attempt in the shower, which nearly resulted in concussions for the both of them. Alec was sore in places he hadn't even known existed, but every time Magnus touched him, it was like his body was singing.

He felt complete.

He was constantly on the verge of blurting out his love for Magnus, always dragging himself back at the very last moment. He wanted it to be perfect the first time he said those three little words - a romantic evening or cuddled up in bed or out to dinner or at the top of the Eiffel Tower - but nothing seemed good enough, and as much as he wanted to shout it from the rooftops, he was also terrified. He had no idea how Magnus actually felt about him and the last thing he wanted to do was to scare the older boy off by blurting out his feelings only a month into their relationship. Unfortunately, Alec was developing a terrible habit of not paying a single bit of attention to anything at all anytime Magnus made him come, and really, it was bound to get him into trouble at some point.

"No way."

"Alexander -"

"Absolutely not."

"But you said -"

"I lied."

"Just a tiny bit -"

"No - Magnus, no, don't come near me with that thing."

"I really think you'd -"

"Magnus, I swear to God -"

"Honestly, Alexander, it's just a little eyeliner," Magnus insisted, holding out the offending instrument.

"Magnus, that stupid smudgy stick of death will poke my goddamn eye out," Alec retorted, glaring at him. They were standing in Magnus's dorm room and had been arguing about this for the past ten minutes. Magnus had brought it up a few days prior, innocently broaching the subject about bedecking Alec with some light makeup immediately after bending him over the kitchen table and making him come hard enough to see stars, cock untouched. Alec had hummed his agreement without actually understanding to what he was agreeing, his body still shivering through the aftershocks of yet another spectacular orgasm.

Today? Today was probably the first time ever that he _didn't_ want his boyfriend to touch him.

"Oh, for the love of - Alexander, it is _not_ going to poke your eye out," Magnus told him, exasperation lacing his voice as he stood with one hip cocked. "It doesn't have a mind of its own. I'd be the one wielding it - don't you trust me?"

Alec glared at him. "Of course I trust you, but... come on, seriously? Eyeliner? Is that really necessary?"

"Just a tiny bit. I'm just curious," Magnus said, his voice soft as he carefully approached Alec as though he were approaching a wild animal.

"Curious? About what?"

Magnus's hands curled around Alec's waist and he leaned close, placing his lips right against Alec's ear. "About how fucking gorgeous you'll look wearing it when I fuck you into the mattress tonight."

Alec's knees buckled ever so slightly as his mind ran over the possibilities. On one hand, his siblings and friends were returning to campus today and they were all planning on hanging out together, so he'd inevitably have to deal with Jace's and Simon's endless teasing about wearing makeup. On the other hand... Magnus wanted to fuck him while he was wearing eyeliner.

Easy fucking choice.

"Yeah, okay," he breathed as Magnus dragged his teeth over Alec's jawline.

Magnus gave him a predatory grin, his own eyes already lined with black and gold glitter, and pushed him into the desk chair. He disappeared into the closet and Alec rubbed his clammy hands onto his pants in the moment before his boyfriend reappeared carrying a handful of other makeup paraphernalia. Alec opened his mouth to protest, cut off when Magnus slid into his lap, straddling his thighs and capturing his lips. They had each just showered - separately, which was a damn shame, in Alec's opinion - and neither had dressed yet. Alec had managed to pull on a pair of boxers before Magnus came sauntering out in a short black silk robe... and nothing else. Having a lapful of a mostly-naked Magnus drove any protestations from Alec's mind.

"Trust me, darling, you're going to look positively edible," Magnus whispered against his lips.

"Yeah, okay," Alec mumbled again. Magnus smirked and settled into his seat, clearly comfortable and intent on doing Alec's makeup from right there.

"Close your eyes, Alexander," he instructed. Alec's heart rate kicked up as he squeezed his eyes tightly closed. He felt a soft brush of air as Magnus chuckled at him. "Relax, darling. Just lightly close them."

"Easy for you to say," Alec huffed, forcing the muscles in his face to settle down. "You're used to having pointy sticks shoved into your eyes."

"Alexander, I had no idea you were such a drama queen," Magnus murmured absently. "I would have been happy to get you a part in the show if I had known." Alec flinched when Magnus's fingers rested on his cheek, followed by the light brush of the eyeliner pencil against his lash line.

"You're not funny," Alec grumbled.

"I'm hilarious and you know it. This color is stunning on your skin, my darling," Magnus told him, his touch gentle as he worked. He shifted on Alec's lap as he leaned closer.

Alec clenched his jaw, fighting back flinches and cringes with each drag of the eyeliner on his skin. "Ow - ouch, _ow_."

"Don't be such a baby, Alexander, there's no possible way this hurts," Magnus scoffed ruthlessly as he switched to the other eye. He shifted his weight again, and Alec sucked in a sharp breath.

"It feels weird."

"Weird does not equal painful."

"It does this time."

"I don't believe you for a second. Look up."

"Look up - why am I looking up?" Alec demanded, even as he followed the instructions.

"I have to line your lower lashes," Magnus told him. "Don't look at me, look up at the ceiling."

"I am - _what are you doing?!_"

"Alexander, for God's sake, relax!" Magnus burst out, grinning at him as he sat back. "I'm not going to do anything to hurt you!"

"You didn't tell me it was going to be this much work!" Alec protested, blinking as his eyes watered furiously.

"Oh, darling, this is nothing," Magnus scoffed, waving the eyeliner around. He sat back up, and Alec glared at him at the distinct roll to his hips. "Now, eyes up."

Alec sighed heavily and stared up at the ceiling, gritting his teeth as Magnus swept the eyeliner under his eyes. The senior pulled back a moment later, surveying his work and humming in appreciation.

"Done?" Alec asked hopefully.

"Not quite. Close your eyes," Magnus ordered. He shifted on Alec's lap again, and Alec's hands flew up to grasp at his boyfriend's thighs.

Alec spotted a hint of a smirk as he closed his eyes again and Magnus attacked with some sort of pointy brush. His senses filled with the feel of Magnus on top of him, firm thighs beneath his palms, and hips circling almost imperceptibly. His hands slid underneath that fucking silk robe and up to Magnus's waist, reveling in the smooth skin revealing itself.

"You're doing this on purpose," Alec accused hoarsely when Magnus pulled back again to rummage through the pile of makeup apparatus on the desk next to Alec's shoulder.

"I'm quite certain I don't know what you're talking about," Magnus retorted airily as he dusted a fluffy brush over Alec's cheekbones. Alec's breath hitched as the roll became more prominent, despite Magnus's claim otherwise.

After another few agonizing moments, Magnus finally dropped his torture instruments onto the desk and sat back, gazing appraisingly at his work. Alec glared back at him. "Well?"

"Just like I thought," Magnus murmured, his hands sweeping over Alec's arms. "Fucking gorgeous."

Alec flushed at the compliment and tilted his head up to accept Magnus's kiss, already desperate to press himself against his boyfriend. His fingers tightened on Magnus's skin as Magnus's nails scratched through his hair, sending shivers down his spine.

"You've been so beautifully patient, my darling," Magnus whispered against Alec's lips, one hand sliding between them to trace along the waistband of Alec's boxers. "Can I take care of you?"

"Considering it's your fault I'm in this situation, that would be appreciated," Alec responded breathlessly as Magnus's fingers brushed against the hard ridge of his cock through the cotton of his shorts. Magnus smirked and snaked his hand under the waistband, long fingers immediately wrapping around Alec's cock and giving a firm stroke.

Alec tipped his head back as a stuttered groan escaped his lips, his hips rolling to match Magnus's strokes. Magnus's fingers sank into Alec's hair and tugged, tilting his head to the side, exposing the long expanse of his neck. Magnus ducked his head, scraping his teeth over the warm skin, lightly biting and sucking directly over Alec's pulse and making Alec's head spin in fifteen different directions. Magnus whispered against Alec's neck, almost inaudibly, all the things he wanted to do to Alec and what he wanted Alec to do to him. Alec's ears rang as he clutched at Magnus, his hands sliding around to dig into his boyfriend's ass as Magnus's fingers, mouth, and words carrying him higher and higher with every second.

He came spurting over his stomach when Magnus kissed him again, hard and messy, his fingers twisting over the head of his cock. His blood raced as the senior took his breath away, quite literally. Magnus surrounded him in every way, sinking into his every cell and thought, and he squeezed his eyes shut at the emotions hurtling through him. He opened his mouth, ready to blurt out exactly how he felt about Magnus, and his breath caught in his throat, fear stripping away any sound that he might make.

Instead, Alec surged forward, seizing Magnus's mouth in a frantic kiss, teeth clacking together as he tugged open the robe. He pulled Magnus tightly against him and fisted his boyfriend's cock, heat racing through his veins when Magnus curled over him, uneven breaths skittering over Alec's lips as his hand moved. Alec stared up at his boyfriend, once again in awe that this incredible creature was in his arms, stealing his heart and soul in its entirety.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered as Magnus's nails scratched through the hair at the base of his neck. "I can't even believe you're real sometimes."

"Trust me, my darling, I'm - _oh_, just like that, love, don't stop please," Magnus pleaded, his hand sticky where it grasped at Alec's shoulder. Alec's heart pounded faster at the endearment. _It's nothing, it doesn't mean anything, Magnus calls everyone by little pet names like that, it's nothing..._

"Let me see you come," Alec murmured, nipping at Magnus's jaw.

Like he'd waved a magic wand, Magnus's entire body tightened as he flung himself over the edge, adding to the mess on Alec's stomach. Alec leaned up, capturing Magnus's mouth in a lingering kiss as his hand slowed. Magnus broke away on an upstroke with a sharp gasp, batting Alec's hand away and dropping his forehead onto Alec's shoulder.

"You're a menace," the senior muttered. Alec grinned and dragged his clean hand up and down Magnus's spine, reveling in the slight shiver underneath his palm.

"Mhmm. You like it, though."

Magnus huffed out a breathless laugh and sat back on Alec's thighs. Alec smiled as his eyes raked over his boyfriend's body, unabashedly on display and framed by the silk robe. He reached out, his fingertips brushing over Magnus's chest as his breathing slowed.

"Take a picture, darling. It'll last longer," Magnus teased, pushing himself to his feet.

"Don't tempt me," Alec responded immediately. Magnus smirked and ran a sticky finger over Alec's lip, his eyes heating when Alec caught it between his teeth. Alec stared up at him, a tiny hint of musky bitterness grazing over his tongue as Magnus pulled his hand free.

"Menace, Alexander," his boyfriend murmured, leaning down to press a hard kiss to Alec's lips. "An absolute menace." He turned and sauntered off into the bathroom, the robe still fluttering freely around his hips, before ducking his head out of the closet and tossing a wet cloth at Alec. "Clean up, darling. Your siblings will be returning shortly and it wouldn't do to have them catch you like that," he added, purposefully glancing down Alec's body. Alec followed his gaze to the mess of come on their stomachs and his boxers still pulled down and tucked underneath his dick.

He flushed, heat rising high in his cheeks, and quickly cleaned himself off before throwing on a pair of jeans and his favorite sweater. He'd brought a pile of clothes over to Magnus's room at the beginning of the week and he was more than a little sad at the thought that he'd have to essentially move back into his own dorm the next day. He was just tying the laces on his sneakers when Magnus stepped out of the closet, dressed impeccably in fitted black jeans and a grey silk button-down with a faint black lace pattern.

"Alexander, you haven't even looked at your makeup yet, after all my hard work," he chastised lightly, gold-rimmed eyes twinkling as he buttoned his cuff.

Alec rolled his eyes. "I wonder who should get the blame for that," he retorted sarcastically, reluctantly heading into the bathroom, Magnus cheerfully following him. He hesitated briefly before glancing in the mirror, his eyes widening in surprise as he took in his appearance. "Oh..."

Magnus stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around Alec's waist and propping his chin on his shoulder. "Oh?" he prompted, smiling softly.

"It's, um... wow." Alec threaded his fingers together with Magnus's, leaning in to get a closer look at the makeup. Magnus had given him a smudgy chocolate brown liner, just along his lashes, with the tiniest bit of dark purple shadow at the corners, artfully blended into the liner. It was nearly imperceptible, but made his hazel eyes pop tremendously, bright and shining surrounded by the complementary colors. His cheeks had a hint of shimmer high on his cheekbone, only noticeable when he turned his face at exactly the right angle.

"Is that a good wow or a bad wow?" Magnus pressed, brushing a kiss to the back of Alec's neck.

"It actually looks kind of nice," Alec told him, catching his boyfriend's gaze in the mirror. "I was expecting a lot worse." 

"Worse?"

"More," he clarified. "Glitter and eyeshadow and everything else you use."

"You think that's 'worse'?" Magnus asked, clearly amused as his head tilted inquiringly to one side.

"No, no, not on you - it looks fucking incredible on you," Alec reassured him quickly. "But I'm pretty sure on me, it would have looked like that time Izzy got into our mom's makeup when she was five and decided she needed to try on every single thing she found."

Magnus grinned at him in the mirror. "Never fear, darling mine, I'd never let you leave my room looking anything less than -"

"Edible?" Alec suggested cheekily.

"Precisely!" His boyfriend threw him a wink and pressed a smacking kiss against the side of Alec's neck before spinning and waltzing out of the bathroom.

"Wait a minute, if that's the case, why did you let me go to practice last week with that giant hickey on my neck?" Alec demanded, following him back into the bedroom.

"You _did_ look edible. That's how you got that mark, darling," Magnus teased, looping one arm around Alec's neck and grinning up at him when Alec groaned and rolled his eyes. Alec leaned in and stole a quick kiss before they were both distracted by a buzzing phone on the bed. "I believe that's yours."

Alec reached over, tugging the phone free of its charger, and swiped open the text thread. "Simon arrived an hour ago. Izzy, Clary, and Jace just got back. Izzy and Clary decided on a picnic lunch. They brought beer and cups, we have to bring wine, and we're late, apparently," he told Magnus, handing him the phone to read the message.

"Fashionably late, so it's nothing to worry about," Magnus corrected, scanning over the screen.

"I still don't get that," Alec commented as Magnus handed his phone back to him.

"That's why you have me," Magnus said, giving him a soft smile. Alec's heart melted, just a tiny bit.

He shoved his phone into his back pocket along with Catarina's student ID as Magnus slid two bottles of wine, one white and one red, into his book bag. Alec grabbed it from him before he had a chance to slide it onto his shoulder and carefully hoisted it onto his own, holding his hand out and smiling when Magnus glared at him.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying it myself, thank you," his boyfriend grumbled even as he laced his fingers together with Alec's.

"I know that, but this way, you don't mess up your shirt," Alec pointed out. Magnus rolled his eyes, but Alec spotted the little smile curling his lips as he turned and led the way out of the room.

Alec's nerves fluttered as he and Magnus strolled through the mid-autumn weather, acutely aware of the makeup decorating his face. Isabelle and Clary were likely to compliment it, but he was slightly dreading the endless teasing he would get from Jace and Simon.

Still totally worth it.

They took their time walking over to the quad, enjoying the beautiful day. Alec couldn't help but smile happily to himself as he took a deep breath. He'd spent the entirety of the week with his incredible boyfriend, with whom he was ridiculously and overwhelmingly in love, and he was about to have lunch with his siblings and closest friends - there was really nothing else he could ask for. He heard Isabelle's squeal as they stepped into the quad and grinned as she and Clary leapt to their feet, dancing around and pointing at the blanket spread over the ground underneath a wide oak tree.

"It's a picnic!" Clary exclaimed, grinning as Alec and Magnus approached.

"Yes, we can see that, Biscuit," Magnus pointed out wryly as he reached for the bag still slung over Alec's shoulder, handing each of the bottles to Clary and Izzy. "And what all do we have here?"

"A feast!" Isabelle announced as she plopped back down onto the blanket. Jace reached out and clapped Alec on the shoulder in greeting as Simon twisted open the bottle of pinot grigio for Isabelle. "I spent ages on everything -"

"_You_ cooked?!" Alec demanded, eyes wide as he stared at his sister, mid-crouch as Magnus sat down beside him.

"Don't be stupid," Jace scoffed, lifting his beer. "Clary and I cooked, and we bought the tray of deli sandwiches from the grocery store."

"I supervised, which is just as important," Izzy insisted, sticking out her tongue at Jace.

"Izzy is a terrible cook," Jace told Magnus.

"Older brother didn't pass on any culinary knowledge, then?" Magnus asked, grinning at Alec.

"Alec cooks? _Alec?!_" Simon blurted out.

"Quite well, actually," Magnus said, his smile turning wicked as Alec's cheeks flushed, and he reached out, brushing his thumb over the corner of Alec's jaw.

"How domestic," Jace joked, reaching for a bowl of pasta salad to spoon some onto his plate. "And speaking of domestic... how was the hammering?" he asked innocently.

Magnus coughed and sputtered around the blueberry he'd just popped into his mouth and Alec glared at his brother.

"The set-building is coming along very well, thank you for asking," he retorted, accepting the glass of malbec Clary handed him.

"Alec, did you get contacts?" she asked suddenly, peering at him closely. He scrunched up his nose.

"Why would I get contacts? I see just fine."

"I don't know... your eyes look brighter for some reason."

Next to him, Magnus froze and slowly looked over over the slice of cucumber he'd just bitten. Isabelle frowned and leaned in, examining his face. Her eyes suddenly sprang wide open.

"Oh, my God, are you wearing _makeup_?!"

Jace and Simon instantly swiveled around, mouths gaping. Alec felt his face flushing brilliantly as his family and friends stared at him.

"It looks so good!" Clary exclaimed, crawling over to take a closer look. "What did you use?"

"Just a tiny bit of brown and purple to bring out his eyes," Magnus explained, reaching over and brushing a soothing hand down Alec's back. "I may have coerced him into agreeing."

"How in the hell did you convince Alec to let you put makeup on him?" Jace demanded.

"It's not important," Alec interrupted hastily. "Izzy, pass me a turkey sandwich?"

"It's definitely a sex thing," Simon told Jace, the two of them snickering like a pair of idiots.

"Simon, I swear to God," Alec warned, sighing heavily.

"Of course it's a sex thing, look at Alec's neck," Jace added, pointing with a shit-eating grin. Alec clapped a hand over his neck and threw a glare over to Magnus, who innocently looked away up at the clouds.

"Ignore them, big brother. I happen to think it looks fantastic on you," Isabelle reassured him. He gave her a tentative smile as she handed him a plate.

Jace and Simon, blessedly, let the moment pass, although Alec could tell from the evil glint in Jace's eye that he hadn't heard the last of it all. They settled into their picnic, catching up on the past week and teasing each other mercilessly. Once again, Alec was struck by how well Magnus fit into his group. The man could talk shopping, makeup, and nail polish with Isabelle and Clary one minute and Marvel, music, and cars with Jace and Simon the next. Maybe it was the bottle of wine he was splitting with Magnus, but seeing his boyfriend interacting so casually and effortlessly made Alec feel endlessly warm inside, like he could never be cold again.

After their lunch, they all settled back to relax, intent on enjoying what was likely going to be one of the last nice-weather days of the semester. Alec ended up leaning back against the oak tree with his legs stretched out in front of him, and Magnus had made himself comfortable laying on the ground, his head resting on Alec's thighs. Izzy and Clary were laying on the grass just out of reach of the tree's shade, soaking up the sun while they still could. Jace and Simon stood nearby, beers in hand as they tossed a baseball back and forth.

Things just felt _right_ spending time like this with his family and Magnus. It was effortless. Alec glanced down at his boyfriend, smiling softly, and brushed his fingers through Magnus's hair. Magnus closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the slip of Alec's fingers through the silken strands, before he smiled back up at him. Like two magnets coming together, Alec was powerless to fight the draw and he curled over, pressing a lingering kiss to Magnus's waiting lips.

"Ugh, get a room, will you?"

Alec reluctantly pulled away and flipped Jace off as Isabelle threw her sandal at him. He opened his mouth to shoot back a sarcastic retort when Magnus reached up, brushing the backs of his fingers over Alec's cheek and distracting him entirely.

"They're so cute, stop being such a dick!" Isabelle complained, propping herself up on her elbows to glare at their brother.

"Remind me why we insist on spending time with them?" Alec grumbled.

"Your friends are much more complementary than mine. You'd never hear Ragnor telling us how cute we are," Magnus pointed out. He sat up, ignoring Alec's protest as he reached for his bag, digging inside and pulling out a little paperback book. "Now, you promised."

Alec grimaced and opened up the script, flipping through the pages. "I seem to be promising a lot of things lately that I wouldn't normally agree to do," he muttered.

"Because you know you'll be handsomely rewarded for them," Magnus reminded him quietly, a wicked glimmer in his eyes as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Alec's cheek.

"...you make a compelling argument. But won't Raphael get pissed if he finds out you stole his script?" Alec asked, scrunching up his nose as he stared down at the print.

"That's what he gets for leaving it here instead of bringing it on break with him to study his lines," Magnus said, sighing as he settled back against Alec's leg and closed his eyes. "Come on. Act one, scene two, darling."

Jace chuckled as he dropped to the grass next to Clary and closed his eyes against the bright sunshine. "Oh, this oughta be good," he teased. "Act away, buddy."

"Oh, God, I hate you so much," Alec muttered, holding up the script. Magnus smiled and reached up, catching Alec's free hand and pressing a kiss to his fingers before holding their twined fingers against his chest. "Okay, okay, okay, fine, a promise is a promise, fine. Uhhh... _You have often begun to tell me what I am, but stopp'd and left me to a bootless inquisition, concluding, 'Stay, not yet.'_"

"_The hour's now come; the very minute bids thee ope thine ear. Obey, and be attentive!_" As it did every time Magnus was practicing his lines, Alec found himself completely enthralled. His voice sounded completely different, authoritative and commanding. Even laying down and resting against Alec's legs, he still drew every eye as he recited each line perfectly. "_Canst thou remember a time before we came unto this cell? I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast not out three years old._"

"_Certainly, sir, I can,_" Alec responded, doing his best to match Magnus's level and failing miserably.

"_By what? By any other house or person? Of any thing the image tell me that hath kept with thy remembrance._"

"_'Tis far off and rather like a dream than an assurance that my remembrance warrants,_" Alec continued, gritting his teeth and doing his best to ignore Jace's and Simon's snickering. "_Had I not four or five women once that tended me?_"

Simon and Jace lost it completely, bursting into deep peels of laughter. "_How_ many women once tended you, bro?!" Jace demanded.

"_Highly_ unlikely that Alec would let any women attend him," Simon chimed in, cackling.

"_Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?_" Jace choked out.

"_Deny thy father and do something else, or I won't be a Capulet!_" Simon added, bits of leaves decorating his hair as he fell back into the grass, tears of laughter shining in his eyes.

"You guys are such assholes!" Clary shrieked, chucking a pinecone at Simon.

"Oh, come on, there's no way I'm going to give up the chance to give my brother shit for acting out a play!" Jace protested, wiping tears from his face as he sat up.

"There's nothing at all wrong with acting out a play," Magnus pointed out, his fingers still threaded together with Alec's. "Besides, I don't need to ask _wherefore art_ Romeo - my Romeo is right here," he said softly, a tiny smile curling the corners of his mouth as he gazed up at Alec.

_God, I'm so fucking gone for him,_ Alec thought, helpless to resist as he dropped the script into the dirt at his side and pulled his hand free from Magnus's. He wrapped his hands around the back of Magnus's neck and tugged him up, capturing Magnus's lips, his heart beating faster when he felt Magnus's arms wrap around him, holding him closer. He grinned into the kiss as Magnus nipped at his lip, both of them ignoring Jace's groans in the distance.

"Wait a minute, should we take a minute to discuss this because if I recall correctly, Romeo was a pretty problematic character," Alec interrupted teasingly, abruptly pulling away from Magnus.

"Shut up and get back down here," Magnus ordered, wrapping his fingers into the collar of Alec's sweater and pulling him back down into an incredibly distracting kiss, both of them chuckling through it as Alec's fingers sank back into Magnus's hair.

"Oh, my... Alec?"

The familiar voice sliced through the haze surrounding him. Alec yanked himself away from Magnus, staring wide-eyed down at him before his gaze snapped up to his siblings. Jace and Izzy were focused on something beyond him, their eyes wavering between shocked and horrified. He sat up slowly, Magnus still draped across his legs.

"Alexander, are you all right?" Magnus murmured, frowning as his hand brushed against Alec's arm where it had fallen around Magnus's waist.

"It's... my parents," Alec whispered faintly, his nerves bursting into overdrive. He gently pushed Magnus off of him and scrambled to his feet, slowly walking out from under the shade of the tree as his parents stood several yards away, staring stonily at him, wide-eyed gazes flickering between him and Magnus.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just adore these two, honestly. That's all.
> 
> Please enjoy, my bbies. <3

Alec's throat felt like it was closing up. The world around him suddenly seemed too cold and too bright, shrinking until it narrowed to this miniscule patch of perfectly manicured grass. He was acutely aware of the makeup on his face and the love bite on his neck, and he threw silent prayer after silent prayer into the universe that his parents didn't notice.

"Mom, Dad, what... what are you guys doing here?" he stammered, doing his best to force some semblance of normality into his voice.

"Alec... what is this? How could you disgrace us like this?" his mother demanded tightly, her gaze flicking down to where Magnus was still sitting under the tree, his eyes slightly panicked as he stared back at them.

"I - wait, what? Disgrace? What are you talking about?" Alec stammered.

"Maryse -" His father placed a placating hand on her arm, trying to calm her down, but she shook it off with a brisk wave, stepping forward as her furious gaze bored into Alec's eyes, piercing him down to the very core of his being.

"What have you done, Alec? To us, this family?" she continued, the disgust in her voice barely restrained as she looked down her nose at Magnus.

"This isn't about you," Alec retorted, a sudden flare of anger stoking deep within him at the implication that he was with Magnus just to harm the family name.

"Of course it is. You are either being selfish or naive. And with _that_?" she snapped, flinging a hand in the senior's direction.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about him like that!" Alec ordered, shifting forward to block his mother's line of sight towards Magnus. His fingers trembled at his sides - with either fear or anger, he couldn't quite determine - and he squeezed them into fists to hide them from his parents.

"Maryse," his father interjected firmly, stepping between mother and son and holding steadying hands out towards both of them before he looked over at Alec. "Isabelle and Jace said you were all having a picnic lunch together today. We came to visit you, to surprise you, since you said you were too busy with... with school work to come home for break."

"How _could_ you, Alec?" Maryse hissed, her face flushed with anger as she pushed Robert's hand aside. "We have always, _always_, taught you to act with the family in mind and you've always made us so proud before now. And now... I don't even recognize you anymore."

"What are you _talking_ about?! I'm still the same person I've always been. Now everything's just out in the open." Alec protested hotly. "I still get good grades, I'm the starting quarterback, I volunteer weekly -"

"And you're participating in... romantic activities with another boy," his father finished quietly.

"And you're wearing _makeup_?" Maryse added, her revulsion sketched across her face as she took a step back, as though she couldn't bear to stand that close to her eldest if he was like _that_. Alec felt her disgust as sharply as though he'd been stabbed through the heart, even as his heartbeat doubled in time.

"It's just a little bit - it doesn't even mean anything -"

"So, what - is this who you are now? Doing things like... _that_ with another boy and flouncing around with a face full of makeup?" his mother demanded.

"Jesus, Mom, it's just a little bit of makeup, who the fuck cares?" Alec burst out, suddenly and all at once exhausted of trying to please Maryse.

"Alec, watch your language -"

"No, Dad, I'm done. I'm fucking _done_ trying to hide who I am just to make you guys proud," Alec told him, fire racing through his veins. It felt like he'd been bound his entire life, chained and locked away until this very moment and he was now flinging himself free of his restraints, determined for the first time to just be himself without any expectations or reservations. "I don't really intend on wearing makeup regularly because that shit is kind of terrifying that close to my eyes, but if I wanted to wear it from time to time, _who the fuck cares?!_ It doesn't change me or who I am in any way, just like kissing a guy instead of a girl doesn't change me. I'm still fucking _me_, and if you can't see that, that's _your_ fucking problem. I'm done trying to be someone else, because it's been _killing_ me trying to be that other miserable person -"

"What about Jessica Hawkblue?" Maryse interrupted.

"Wha - Jessica Hawkblue? From seventh grade?" Alec repeated, baffled at the sudden change of subject. "What does Jessica Hawkblue have to do with anything?"

"Dammit, Alec, we just saw her parents last week and told them you were interested in taking Jessica on a date!" Maryse cried, throwing her hands into the air. "But now you're this... this _thing_ that kisses other boys and wears makeup, and - what are we supposed to tell Jessica's parents now? How could you embarrass us like this?"

Alec's mind was spinning too quickly and his breath was coming in short pants. It took him a minute to parse through his mother's statement and he clutched at his chest as it suddenly tightened. "You said - you did _what_? Why would you do that?!"

"Your mother was only trying to help, because you never seemed interested in any other girls," Robert explained. "So we thought that if you took Jessica out, maybe it would help to ignite some kind of flame."

"I never seemed interested in any girls because I'm fucking _gay_, Dad!" Alec shouted, his heart pounding impossibly fast. "I'm gay and I've been hiding myself for _years_ because I was terrified of this _exact_ reaction, but for the first time in my life, I'm actually _happy_ and -"

"So, you just decided to throw away making the family proud? Why now?" Maryse asked derisively, cold loathing clinging to her words. "Why couldn't you just keep -"

"Because I love Magnus!" Alec exploded, pointing towards his boyfriend behind him. "I refuse to hide anymore because I _love_ him and he deserves better than a boyfriend who won't be seen with him. I _love_ him. I love _him_." His voice hitched and a frustrated sob caught in his throat. He spun around, his eyes landing on Magnus, ignoring his siblings' and friends' open-mouthed shock to focus entirely on the senior. "God, Magnus, I'm - I'm _so_ fucking in love with you, and this isn't how I wanted to tell you at all, and I'm so, _so_ sorry that -"

His boyfriend moved faster than he'd ever seen before. Magnus sprang to his feet and rushed at Alec, his hands framing Alec's face in the split second before his mouth landed on Alec's in a searing kiss. Alec's hands pressed against Magnus's sides, his fingers tight against his ribs and pulling him close as he poured his every emotion into the kiss, one that ended far too soon when Magnus broke away to press their foreheads together, his thumbs brushing back and forth over Alec's cheeks.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ apologize for this," Magnus whispered fiercely. "You have nothing to apologize for, Alexander."

"I wanted it to be perfect, I wanted everything to be perfect when I told you because you deserve perfect," Alec told him, his voice hoarse.

"Oh, my darling, I don't need perfect," Magnus breathed, his eyes shining as he looked up at Alec. "I just need you."

"I think that's my line," Alec mumbled, staring down at him. Magnus's lips tilted into a soft smile as he slid an arm around Alec's shoulders, holding him tightly as his palm warmed Alec's cheek.

"We can share." He captured Alec's lips again in a sweet, lingering kiss. "And I love you too, Alexander," he murmured against Alec's lips.

Alec's heart suddenly felt like it could burst and he squeezed his eyes closed to fight the sudden flood of tears. He wrapped his arms around Magnus in a desperate hug and dropped his head to his shoulder, pressing his face against his boyfriend's neck. "I love you," he said again, murmuring it against the warm skin like an illicit confession. Magnus's hand slid into his hair and his fingers dug into Alec's shoulder, as though he couldn't bear to let him go.

"_Love_ doesn't alter your familial obligations."

His mother's icy voice shattered the warmth of the moment and he gritted his teeth as he pulled away from Magnus. He felt taller, stronger, more stable than just a few moments before, as though the knowledge of Magnus's love was all he needed in the world. Magnus laced their fingers together, his free hand wrapped tight around Alec's forearm, holding him close as Alec turned to face his parents.

"If you're trying to tell me that I was only ever meant to marry someone for convenience or for continuing the family name, then I don't want to carry those obligations anymore," Alec retorted. Magnus's fingers tightened around his own in a silent display of support. "I won't burden you with my presence in the future."

"Alec, you don't mean that," his father interrupted, ever the mediator between Alec and Maryse. "I mean, you can't stay at school year-round. Where will you go during the holidays? Over the summer?"

"He'll stay with me," Magnus stated firmly before Alec even had a chance to think. Alec looked down at him, his eyes wide as he took in the determined set of his boyfriend's jaw.

"Magnus, you don't have to -"

"You'll stay with me," Magnus repeated softly, gazing into his eyes.

"Well. It looks like there's no reason for us to stay, then," Maryse snapped, glaring at Alec before spinning on her heel and striding off. Robert glanced over at Alec and shook his head.

"She'll cool off," he told Alec quietly. "She always does."

"I don't think I'm going to care this time," Alec responded stubbornly. Robert glanced between him and Magnus before his eyes dropped to their entwined hands. Magnus's fingers tightened even further in a defiant display of affection.

"Love, huh?" Alec gave him a sharp nod. Robert stared at him, looking for something in his face, and apparently finding it as he returned the nod and sighed heavily, turning to follow his wife without saying anything further. Alec's hand suddenly trembled in Magnus's grip as adrenaline sprinted through his veins. He'd never stood up to his parents like this before, _never_, and he had absolutely no idea where he'd found the strength to suddenly do so in such a flagrant way.

Well. That wasn't entirely true.

The source of that strength stood in front of him, love and concern shining in his eyes as he caught Alec's attention, drawing him away from the retreating figures of his parents. Magnus reached up, his thumb brushing over Alec's cheekbone before his palm settled against his jaw, his touch comforting and centering Alec like nothing else could.

"I love you," Alec whispered, his breath stuttering when Magnus's eyes warmed. The senior stepped close, their chests touching as Magnus brushed an achingly sweet kiss over Alec's lips. Alec's heart felt like it was splitting apart in all the best ways as Magnus's fingers slid into his hair and pressed their foreheads together.

"I love you, Alexander, and I'm always going to be on your side, no matter what," Magnus promised him, his lips ghosting over Alec's as he spoke. "And I am so, _so_ incredibly proud of you for defending yourself like this. You deserve the very best that the world has to offer."

"_You're_ the best," Alec mumbled, his free hand curling around Magnus's waist.

"Then you have me," Magnus told him, his eyes shining as Alec kissed him again.

Izzy's low squeal broke their reverie, shattering the bubble that surrounded them. They both glanced over at her, still clustered on the grass with Clary, Jace, and Simon. Izzy and Clary both had matching tear streaks on their cheeks and and Izzy's fingers were all twisted together in front of her nose, like they did any time she got excited.

"Love?" she repeated, her voice a tiny squeak. "You're in love?!"

"Oh, for God's sake, Iz, of course they are," Jace told her, rolling his eyes even as he smiled at Alec. "All you've got to do is just look at them and you can tell they're in love." Alec blinked. Sometimes his brother was outstandingly perceptive and it often took him entirely by surprise. "What remains to be seen is whether or not they're going to turn into one of those sickeningly sweet lovey-dovey couples who make everyone's stomachs turn by how in love they are."

"What an interesting point of view," Clary commented blandly, her fingers carefully wiping away her tears to avoid streaking her makeup. Jace grinned at her and threw an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close to kiss her cheek.

"But seriously, you're really in love?" Isabelle demanded. "Like, for real, you didn't just say that to mess with Mom and Dad?"

"What?! Izzy, do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds?" Alec asked her, his arm still tight around Magnus's waist.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did -"

"But I didn't. I - I love Magnus. I do. I love you," Alec said defiantly, gazing down at his boyfriend. His heart stuttered as a brilliant smile stretched across Magnus's face, lighting up Alec's world.

"I don't know that I'll ever get tired of hearing that," Magnus admitted, his hand resting on the back of Alec's neck.

"Oh, my _God_, this makes me so fucking _happy!_" Isabelle exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"You are a ridiculous person," Alec grumbled.

"Right, I'm super excited that my big brother is finally happy and an enjoyable person to be around - sue me," she retorted.

"Yeah, yeah - wait, what do you mean 'finally'?"

"Ooh, are you guys going to move in together?" she demanded, her eyes wide. "Can I help decorate? Are you going to get a cat? If you get a cat, can I help name it?"

"_Izzy._" Alec stared at her as his sister ran off on a rambling tangent. Her mouth snapped shut as she looked back at him. "We've got midterms and hopefully the play-offs and the fall show and then finals to focus on. Not interior decorating."

"But -"

"No."

"Ugh, _fine!_"

"Did you really mean it?" Jace asked, uncharacteristically serious. Alec glanced over at him, a tiny frown furrowing his brow.

"Mean what?"

"Never seeing Robert or Maryse again."

Alec sighed heavily and he leaned into the gentle support offered to him by Magnus's hand on his skin. "I don't know, man," he admitted, glancing down at the grass. "I don't want to cut them out of my life forever, but if they won't accept me - the _real_ me - or Magnus, then why would I bother? Who I'm with isn't up for debate or ridicule and that's clearly all Mom had to offer."

"Maybe give her some time to cool down and think things over?" Simon suggested. "She seems like kind of a hot-headed lady at times, so she might need time to figure out how she feels about it all."

"I'm her son," Alec pointed out bluntly. "She should love me and accept me, no matter what I wear or who I'm with."

"Totally not disagreeing with you at all, dude, I promise," Simon said. "Just that she might need to come to terms with how she feels about it all. Let her come to you when she's ready."

Alec gave a non-committal half-shrug and stared back down into the grass, a brief smile skating over his face when Magnus leaned in to press a light kiss to his cheek.

"I think this all calls for a toast," Clary announced, bending down to gather up their discarded cups from lunch and pouring the last remnants of the wine while Jace and Simon split a beer between them.

Isabelle held out her cup towards Magnus and Alec with a flourish, beaming as she said, "To bravery and courage, to fearlessness, to standing up for yourself -"

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies," Simon muttered.

"But a great deal more to stand up to your friends," Jace added, hiding his grin behind his cup.

"Fifty thousand points to Gryffindor!" Clary finished, giggling.

"Why do you all have to suck so much?!" Isabelle shrieked.

"God, I love you," Jace told Clary, pulling her in for a kiss.

Alec shook his head and grinned in spite of himself. He glanced down at Magnus and his smile softened, his friends and siblings immediately forgotten as his world narrowed to his boyfriend gazing back at him. He lifted his cup and tapped it against Magnus's. "To love."

"To us," Magnus corrected in a murmur, leaning up for a kiss, a request that Alec was only too happy to fulfill.

The rest of the day blew by in a blur and Alec's mind couldn't stop spinning. His entire world had been turned upside-down, in both the best and worst ways. His mind kept replaying his fight with his parents, highlighting the worst comments made, the disgusted looks his mother kept throwing at both him and Magnus, the implication that who he was and what he wanted for his life didn't matter in the slightest. Each memory felt like a physical blow, a slap across the face, a punch to the gut, a knife wound deep in his chest. He felt like he was bleeding from a thousand injuries, and every time his mind drifted away from what his mother had said, it instantly raced back, a hundred times worse.

_This thing._ His mother didn't even see him as a human being anymore. He was an object, trash, replaceable and easily discarded, worthy of revulsion. How could Magnus love someone - some_thing_ \- like him? It seemed almost laughable now, the idea that he was deserving of someone as incredible as Magnus Bane.

He felt like he couldn't quite catch his breath and his ears were constantly ringing, hearing the conversations around him with a five-second delay. Magnus kept looking over at him, his forehead creased in concern. It all came to a head when they were sitting around a table at Taki's, splitting appetizers and chatting about the upcoming Halloween dance. Alec's onion ring suddenly slipped from his fingers, dropping to the table as his vision darkened.

"Alexander?" Magnus's voice swam to him from a distance, and he looked up to see everyone staring at him. It was all too much.

He pushed his chair back and stood, the harsh scraping of the legs across the floor slicing through the wool that had surrounded him throughout the afternoon. "I just gotta... I need - I just need some air. A minute," he stammered, staring down at the discarded onion ring on the table as he swayed.

"Alec?"

Jace leaned towards him, half-raised from his seat, and Alec stumbled back, turning and quickly moving towards the door, his breath coming in sharp pants. He shoved open the door and rushed out into the parking lot, hurrying towards the trees at the far side of the lot. He gritted his teeth, grinding them together, as he slapped his hand against a tree, the bark biting into the skin of his palm. His breath whistled in his ears and a frantic sob caught in his throat. He tripped over the roots of the tree and landed on his hands and knees, sticks and rocks digging into his palms. He twisted and pressed his back against the tree, hiding from view, his shoulders hunching as he stared down at his hands, his eyes blurring with tears.

"Darling?" Alec sat up with a sharp gasp as Magnus slowly settled to his knees next to him. He held his breath, letting Magnus reach out and gently brush away the dirt from his palms. The senior leaned in, examining the scratches marring his skin and the long gouge from one particularly sharp twig. "Alec, what's wrong?" Alec exhaled, a shaky breath as he barely held himself together, and pulled his hands from Magnus's to press the heels of his hands to his eyes. "Come on, darling, talk to me."

"No - I just - it's -" The words refused to verbalize and his breath caught in his throat. Alec pressed harder, starbursts exploding behind his closed eyes. He heard Magnus shift and felt him lean against his legs before his hands were pulled away from his eyes. His heart broke open at the worried look in Magnus's eyes and it was like a dam burst. "Why does she hate me? I don't - I don't get it - what's wrong with me that - why -"

"Oh, Alexander," Magnus murmured, reaching for Alec as the sophomore hovered on the verge of hyperventilation. His hand wrapped around the back of Alec's neck and tugged him forward into a tight hug. Alec curled against his boyfriend, squeezing his eyes shut and dropping his forehead onto his shoulder as the tears that he'd been fighting back all day finally slipped free. "There is _nothing_ wrong with you at all, my darling, I promise you that. In my experience, people like your parents, like your mom, the problem is with _them_, not with you. They're so unable to lift the blinders on their beliefs, their fear, that they can't see how incredible the person is that they're hurting. She doesn't hate you, Alexander. She hates her prejudice, even if she doesn't realize that's what it is."

"It feels like she hates me," Alec breathed, his voice breaking with the admission.

"I know, darling, and I'm so sorry you have to go through this," Magnus whispered, pulling back slightly to brush away Alec's tears. "But you're not alone. You have me, always at your side. You have your siblings and your friends. You even have my friends too - they all adore you."

Alec stared at his boyfriend, once again wondering what he did - in this life or a past one - to deserve someone like Magnus. "I love you," he admitted with a pathetic sniff. Magnus smiled at him and carded his fingers through Alec's hair.

"I love you, Alexander," Magnus told him, leaning in to press his lips to Alec's forehead.

"Can we go back to your room? I feel like I ruined the night."

"You didn't ruin anything at all, darling, don't be ridiculous. Let me send Isabelle a text to let her know we're leaving and we'll head back. I want to get your hands cleaned up."

"When did you and Izzy trade numbers?" Alec asked, scraping his hands over his jeans to try and clear off some of the dirt as Magnus's fingers flew over his phone.

"Don't worry about it."

Alec frowned. "_Why_ did you and Izzy trade numbers?"

Magnus slipped his phone into his pocket and helped Alec to his feet, smiling beatifically up at him. "Don't worry about it."

"Magnus..."

"We're conspiring, Alexander, and that's all I'll say about it."

"I don't think I like this," Alex announced as they set off towards the townhouse. Having Magnus at his side and the casual, easy banter was already helping to ease the constriction in his chest that had lingered since his confrontation with his mother. Alec thought it was more likely than not that Magnus realized he needed the distraction and was being purposefully enigmatic. Just one more of a million reasons to love the man.

"You will," Magnus reassured him airily, his arm tight around Alec's waist.

"It's not a sex thing, is it?"

Magnus looked over at him with a mock glare. "Alexander, the day I ask your sister for sex advice regarding you is likely the same day I ask Camille the same question."

"...please don't ever do that," Alec requested plaintively.

"That should be a given." Magnus's voice was wry and teasing, his gaze carefully warm as he surveyed Alec.

"You don't have to keep staring at me, you know," Alec pointed out softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Well, that's rather unfortunate for you, darling, because I happen to quite like staring at you," his boyfriend told him, pulling out his ID as they approached the front door of the townhouse and pushing open the door.

Magnus led Alec into the bathroom and pushed him down to sit on the closed toilet seat, grabbing a washcloth from the shower and turning on the faucet. He let it run into the sink for a moment to warm up before wetting the cloth and taking Alec's hand. Alec silently watched him as he worked, gently moving the cloth over his palm to clean away the streaks of dirt and grime that covered his skin. A lump settled in his throat at the effort Magnus was taking, sweeping away the sap and carefully scraping away the dirt that had settled into the cuts and scratches, and he closed his eyes against the maelstrom of emotions swirling through him.

"You did a number on this one, darling," Magnus murmured when he picked up Alec's other hand, brushing his finger over the ragged cut on his palm.

"I didn't mean to," Alec muttered, wincing at the first swipe of the damp cloth over his skin. "It was an accident."

"Luckily, you have a boyfriend who's well versed in first aid to patch you back up," the senior told him with a smirk.

"Are you? I didn't know that."

"I'm well versed in quite a bit, darling," Magnus said. "I'm a positive fountain of unending knowledge."

"And awfully humble on top of it all," Alec added, smiling when Magnus glanced up and winked at him. Magnus finished cleaning Alec's hand off, deciding at the last moment to cover the cut with a bandage and wrap some gauze around his palm to hold it in place. Alec moved to stand and stared up at Magnus when his boyfriend pressed him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. "What -"

"Time to take the makeup off, Alexander," Magnus reminded him, pulling out a makeup wipe and leaning over him.

"What happened to - ow - fucking me into the mattress while I'm wearing it?" Alec asked, holding himself perfectly still as Magnus swept the damp wipe over his eyes and cheeks. Magnus smiled softly down at him and brushed his fingers across Alec's cheek when he pulled back.

"Another night, darling," he murmured, holding out his hand to pull Alec to his feet. "I think we've had enough excitement for the day."

Alec's heart dropped and he chewed on his lip as they quietly changed, pulling on sweatpants and climbing into bed. Magnus settled back against the mountains of pillows he had piled at the head of the bed, turning the television on and bringing up the episode of Project Runway that they had been watching the previous night before Alec had straddled Magnus and ridden him for what felt like forever. Alec sat gingerly on the bed next to him and wrapped his arms around his knees, staring blankly at the TV.

"Alexander, what's wrong?" Magnus asked softly after a few minutes. He reached out, his hand stretching across Alec's back, drifting soothingly back and forth.

"I, um... I'm sorry I ruined everything today," Alec whispered. Magnus sat up next to him and he rushed to continue. "I know you had plans and everyone else was having a good time and I just, I ruined it all."

"Alexander. Alec, please look at me, darling." Magnus's fingers dipped under his chin and guided his gaze up to meet his own. "You did nothing wrong. You ruined nothing. You were incredible today, as you are every day."

"But -"

"Alec, you fucking stood up to your parents in _such_ an amazing way. You came out on your own terms, and that's something to feel _so_ good about," Magnus insisted. "So what, I didn't get to fuck you while you were wearing makeup. Oh, darn, I'll just have to see it on you again. Poor me, what a terrible situation."

In spite of himself, Alec began to smile, a tiny little thing but one that served to begin to lift his heart back up. "I make no promises about wearing makeup again."

"Something tells me I'll be able to convince you to give it a try," Magnus mused. He leaned back against the pillows and beckoned for Alec. "Come here, darling. Come sit and make judgy comments about the designs with me."

Alec acquiesced with a sigh and slid under the covers, curling up against his boyfriend's side with a sigh. Magnus's arms came around him, hands smooth and comforting as they brushed up and down his back. "I'm so proud of you, Alec," Magnus told him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"I love you," Alec whispered.

"I love you, too, my Alexander."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My darling hearts, I hope you all had wonderful holidays seasons. I've missed you all terribly and I hope to get back to more frequent updating now that the insanity of the end of the year has passed.
> 
> Shoutouts and hugs go to whatsablurrysoup for the "Camel" comment because that legitimately made me laugh. 
> 
> Please enjoy. <3

It felt like sand had filled Alec's eyes when he groggily awoke the next morning. He pressed his face into the pillow, muffling a groan when the memories of the previous day rushed back to him. His parents knew everything. They knew _everything_, and he'd told them he wouldn't see them again. They knew he was gay and dating a guy and in love with that guy and their reaction felt like a carving knife stuck directly into his heart, twisting and digging still to that moment.

The slow sweep of Magnus's hand on his upper back calmed his thoughts and he turned his face to the side when he felt Magnus press a kiss onto the back of his shoulder. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly. Alec shrugged.

"I don't really know," he whispered. "Everything just seems weird. I don't know what to think."

"Which is completely understandable and I don't blame you at all for that," Magnus commented, running his fingers through Alec's sleep-tangled hair. "What can I do to help you?"

"You're helping just by being here," Alec mumbled into the pillow, closing his eyes as he sank into Magnus's touch. "You make everything better."

"I do try," Magnus teased lightly, his hand dragging down Alec's back to settle in the dip of his spine. "Do you want to talk?"

"No, I just... I don't know. I just feel weird about it all. I don't want to think."

"Do you want a distraction instead?"

Alec peeked a curious eye out of the depths of the pillow to peer at his boyfriend. "What kind of a distraction?"

Magnus just smiled and reached over Alec, his hand closing on the rapidly-emptying bottle of lube on the shelf. A barely-there shiver of anticipation flashed through Alec's body as Magnus drew back, his fingertips wrapping around the waistbands of Alec's sweatpants.

"Is this okay?" Magnus murmured, dropping a light kiss onto the hollow at the base of Alec's spine, slowly dragging the sweats down over Alec's hips.

"Yes. Always," Alec replied quickly, his voice hoarse, lifting his hips to allow Magnus to pull the pants down further. "How do you want me?"

"Just like this. No need to move," Magnus instructed, tugging the sweats off entirely and dropping them over the side of the bed onto the floor. His hands slid up the back of Alec's legs and gently bent one knee, guiding it up to expose his ass. Alec felt like he was on fire, suddenly desperate for Magnus's touch. The snap of the lube cap seemed to echo in the quiet morning, and he dug his fingers into the pillow. A moment later, a slick fingertip circled his hole for a moment before slipping in. They'd done this enough times over the course of the week that Alec's muscles no longer turned to stone at the intrusion, but each time they came together, Magnus spent an eternity preparing Alec, ignoring his pleas to move faster, to hurry up, to fuck him already, choosing instead to worship Alec's body with his fingers and his mouth. This time was no different.

"Magnus, come the fuck _on_," Alec groaned, trying to rock his hips against the bed, frantic for some type of friction against his cock as Magnus slid three fingers inside of him. Magnus's free hand was wrapped around his hip, holding him in place against the mattress.

"You're beautiful like this, you know," Magnus commented conversationally. He pressed his fingers deep into Alec, his knuckles tight against the tight ring of muscle. He held them there, twisting and stretching them apart as Alec writhed beneath him.

"Magnus - fuck -"

"You really are," the senior continued as though Alec hasn't made a sound. "You spread your legs so wide for me and you get this gorgeous flush to your skin and - God, darling, if I could just live here forever, I've never be happier." His hand on Alec's hip tightened and he leaned over, scraping his teeth over the swell of Alec's ass cheek. Alec bit the pillow, muffling a curse into the fabric. Magnus's fingers slowly slid out, spreading Alec's hole wide.

"Fucking hell, Magnus, get your fucking dick inside me already!" Alec snapped, clenching his muscles around the tips of Magnus's fingers.

"You're incredibly demanding today, my love," Magnus noted, pulling back to slick up his fingers once more. Alec groaned into the pillow, his frustration mounting when Magnus slid his fingers back into him in one smooth movement.

"You've been fingering me for, like, a fucking hour and a half!" he exploded, struggling against Magnus's grip to get his knees under him, to get any kind of traction, to fuck himself back onto his boyfriend's fingers, but _that fucking asshole_ had such an incredible hold on him, he couldn't move an inch. Magnus Bane might look like a lithe, lean theatre star, but he was every bit as strong as Alec himself.

"You wanted a distraction, Alexander, is this not enough of one for you?" Magnus asked, his fingers moving faster, now fucking into him with determined purpose. Alec let out a wild, strangled noise, some combination of a laugh and a moan, and all he knew at that moment was that he was absolutely going to die if Magnus didn't fuck him that instant.

"_Fuck_ \- Magnus - please, I need - shit, _more_, please!" he begged desperately, his back arching wantonly as he tried to chase his boyfriend's fingers. "Please, please, please, Magnus, _please_ -"

"Please what, darling?"

Alec actually shouted out a sob at his words. "Please fuck me!" he pleaded, his grip on the pillowcase almost tight enough to tear. "Please - shit - I just want - c'mon, _please_ \- I need you to fuck me, I just, I need you inside me, please just fuck me, _please!_" he babbled, his voice cracking as lust and love and desire and _hunger_ crashed through him in unending waves.

"You're so incredible," he heard Magnus whisper as his fingers slipped free, and he couldn't quite tell if he was supposed to hear it or not, but the words were driven from his mind when finally, _finally_, the blunt head of Magnus's cock kissed his entrance, sheathed at some point in latex. Alec breathed out a shaky sigh as Magnus pressed into him, the senior's hands wrapped around his hips holding him in place. The last bit of air was punched out of his lungs when Magnus bottomed out, his hips resting snug against Alec's ass. He draped himself over Alec's back, threading their fingers together and sinking his teeth into the meat of Alec's shoulder.

"Fuck," Alec groaned into the pillow, flames racing beneath his skin.

They were pressed together from head to toe and Alec couldn't move an inch. His every sensation seemed amplified due to his immobility. He could feel Magnus's heartbeat pounding against his back, racing in time to his own, and a hot wash of breath cascaded over his neck as Magnus exhaled. Magnus's hips rocked and Alec's eyes rolled into his head at the slow drag of Magnus's cock against his rim.

This wasn't a frantic fucking, hard and fast and pounding until they came with lights bursting behind their eyes. This wasn't Magnus teasing Alec, like he'd been doing all week, until Alec was ready to scream in frustration. This was slow and exploratory and savoring and barely moving and agonizing and fucking _perfect_ in every single way as they laid together, all shivers and shuddering breaths and bitten-off moans in the quiet morning sunlight. Alec was surrounded by Magnus, body and soul, and he couldn't even believe that this was his life, that he was allowed to have this and experience this, and he never wanted to let this go.

He tightened his fingers around Magnus's and curled his foot around the back of Magnus's leg, sliding it down until it was hooked around Magnus's ankle, pinning him against the bed in the tiniest way. Almost from a distance, he heard a swallowed whimper at the change in angle and Magnus tucked his face against Alec's neck, the rock of his hips stuttering a bit as he pressed himself deeper into Alec's body.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the corner of Alec's jaw, his breathing unsteady.

"I - _oh, fuck_ \- I love you, so much," Alec panted. His skin tingled, hot and tight and sparking, like electricity raced through his veins instead of blood. He writhed beneath Magnus, canting his hips higher, a loud moan ripping from his throat when Magnus's next thrust struck his prostate. He twisted as much as he could without moving at all, turning his head to the side. "Kiss me," he demanded, and Magnus's mouth was on his before he'd finished speaking. It was messy and awkward, with too much teeth and tongue and Alec was really too tall for Magnus to kiss him properly in this position, but it was exactly what he needed at that moment.

"Don't come," Magnus breathed, scraping his teeth over Alec's lower lip. Alec's eyes sprung open.

"_What?!_"

"Don't come," Magnus repeated, rolling his hips harder, fucking his cock further into Alec's hole. "I want you to come in my mouth."

_Oh._

"_Fuck_, Magnus -"

"Don't come, don't come, don't come - oh _fuck_, I'm coming!" Magnus gasped, pressing deeper than ever into Alec, his forehead digging into Alec's shoulder, his hips jerking as he fucked Alec through it. Alec squeezed his muscles around him, desperate for more stimulation, for something, anything, to get him off. He was nearly insane with need and rocked his hips against the bed as best he could.

"Magnus... please..."

Magnus carefully pulled out of him and kept one hand on the dip of Alec's back, holding him against the bed for a moment. Alec's fingers twisted in the pillowcase as he fought against the hold, seconds away from ignoring Magnus's instructions and finishing himself off.

Suddenly, Magnus's strong hands wrapped around his hips and urged him to flip into his back. The senior's fingertips pressed tightly into his skin as he leaned over Alec, taking his cock into his mouth in one quick slide. Alec shouted, his voice hoarse and rough when his cock nudged against the back of Magnus's throat, and his fingers dug into Magnus's hair, pulling almost too tightly. One of Magnus's hands left Alec's hips and reached between his legs, brushing lightly against his swollen tissues before two fingers slid deep inside of him.

Alec came almost instantly, his vision whiting out, his senses completely overtaken at the feel of Magnus's hands on the skin, his fingers inside of him, and the vacuum suction of his mouth around Alec's neglected cock. It was, all at once, too much and not enough and ecstatically perfect and just what Alec needed.

He fell back onto the pillows, gasping and tremors wracking his limbs as he recovered from a particularly spectacular orgasm. Magnus finally released Alec's dick and pressed hot kisses over his lower abdomen, his fingers carefully and slowly sipping out of his body.

"Keep..." His eyes still closed, Alec's voice refused to work, and he rocked his hips against Magnus's hand. "Stay."

"Keep my fingers here?" Magnus clarified, sliding his fingers back in to his knuckles.

"Uh." Coherency escaped him as an aftershock rattled through his frame, and Alec settled for squeezing his muscles around his boyfriend's fingers. Magnus hummed through another kiss, this one higher over his stomach, gently making his way up Alec's body. He licked over a nipple, teeth scraping over the edge of Alec's collarbone, and brushed a featherlight kiss over Alec's jawline. His fingers still locked in Magnus's hair, Alec managed to gain control over his grip enough to drag Magnus's mouth to meet his own in a slow kiss. Another shiver slipped down Alec's spine as he tasted himself on Magnus's tongue and he clenched around the senior's fingers.

"Love you, Alexander," Magnus murmured against his lips.

"Hmm." Alec felt overwhelmingly safe wrapped in his boyfriend's arms and he made an embarrassingly large effort to sling his own arm over Magnus's shoulders to pull him down onto him.

"Are you okay, darling?" Magnus asked, his voice teasing. Alec sighed and pressed his face into Magnus's neck.

"Mhm."

"You're not saying anything, and you're typically a rather talkative guy."

" 'm good. Great. 's really great," Alec slurred.

"You seem a bit fucked out," Magnus commented, his lips brushing over Alec's temple.

"Maybe." Every word dragged energy from Alec, and he felt exhaustion rolling over him. "Prob'ly." He heard Magnus snickering into his hair and he pinched the senior's shoulder. " 's not funny. Your fault."

"I'll fully accept the blame, darling." Magnus's fingers slipped free from Alec's body with a final flex, and Alec made a small noise of protest. "Relax, love, it's not like that'll be the last time you'll have my fingers in your ass."

"Brat," Alec mumbled.

Magnus pressed a soft kiss to Alec's forehead and dragged the blankets over them both, gathering Alec into his arms. "Go to sleep, love," he whispered, his hand smoothing down Alec's back. "I'm right here."

Alec sank into his embrace, his breathing settling almost immediately. " 's a good distraction," he hummed just before slumber stole over him.

* * *

Alec chewed on the end of his pen the next morning in creative writing, watching Professor Branwell scribble notes across the board about plot progression, fighting to stay focused on the instructor's words. That day had been the first time in over a week that Alec hadn't woken up in Magnus's arms and, as ridiculous as it seemed, he swore he hadn't slept nearly as well. His own bed felt too big, too empty, and too cold, and he'd tossed and turned until Jace had chucked a pillow at him in the middle of the night.

He stifled a yawn and shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the lingering ache a welcoming memento of the previous morning. Magnus, of course, noticed his discomfort and threw him a saucy smirk. "Shut up," Alec muttered, glaring at him. Magnus just winked at him and turned back to the professor, his fingers deliberately flexing over the keyboard of his laptop and reminding Alec of exactly where they'd been twenty-four hours prior. Alec crossed his legs under the tiny desk, forcing his mind away from the memory.

The rest of the class sped by in a fog and before Alec even realized it, everyone was closing their laptops and notebooks. He resigned himself to stealing Magnus's notes later, having spent the class period dragging his pen over his notebook page next to his open laptop, doodling what looked suspiciously similar to hearts and his and Magnus's initials. He'd have to tear that page to pieces later rather than risk Jace - or Magnus - stumbling over it.

"And how was class for you, darling?" Magnus asked innocently as they both stood.

"You're the fucking worst," Alec grumbled. Magnus laughed, a bright and happy sound that wrapped around Alec's heart even as Magnus reached out and grabbed his hand.

"I'll send you my notes," he promised, lifting their entwined hands to kiss the back of Alec's.

"Mr. Lightwood! A moment, my good lad?"

Alec glanced over at the professor and nodded, a bit surprised. The professor never held anyone after class and Alec wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was asked to stay late now. He pulled his hand from Magnus's and glanced at him.

"Wait for you out front?" the senior offered, quickly slipping from the room when Alec nodded again. He passed the last few students trickling out and hiked his backpack higher.

"Mr. Lightwood, I happened to notice that your major is currently undeclared," Professor Branwell began, leaning against the side of his desk and gazing curiously at Alec. "Any thoughts on where your interests might be leaning?"

Alec blinked. This was definitely not what he had expected. "Um... well, I - I'm not sure, I guess," he responded. "To be honest, I always kind of figured I'd just go into business or something, since it's what my parents always wanted me to do, but I... um... I'm not..." He swallowed hard, fighting back the memory of their altercation. "Yeah, I - I guess I don't know anymore," he mumbled. The professor watched him silently for a moment, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Alec - may I call you Alec?" He nodded, still completely unsure where Branwell was going with this conversation. "Alec, might I suggest looking into writing as a major?"

"Writing? Seriously?" The professor's lips quirked into a smile and he tilted his head. "I didn't even know AU had a writing major."

"Well, it technically falls under the literature department for some asinine reason, and you'd graduate with a degree in literature with a concentration in creative writing," Branwell explained in his plummy accent. "I'm the faculty advisor for the concentration and I don't like to publicize it, mostly because I like to vet, in a way, each student who joins the concentration. Invite only, if you will."

"And - and you're... what, you're inviting me?" Alec blurted out, his eyes wide. The professor grinned at him.

"Alec, I've noticed over the course of the semester thus far that you tremendously underestimate your talents," he said. "It's not often I'm impressed by a student's writing right from the start, but you certainly impressed me. Not to say you don't have room to improve - every writer does, of course - but you've demonstrated an innate talent in creating characters and worlds that are genuinely interesting and about which I'd like to read more. Again, not something that often happens," he added with a wry smile. "You've a rare talent, and between you and me, I'd hate to see it go to waste sitting in a corporate office."

Alec gaped at him. He knew he'd liked to write, but he didn't actually think he was really all that great at it. He'd never really wanted to go into business, but it was - as with everything else - expected of him and he'd planned on following those obligations without complaint. Now that he'd shed himself of his parents' expectations, the world was opening up to him. Maybe...

"I'm not saying decide right this moment, of course," Branwell told him, "but more just to plant the seed of possibility. Think it over, feel free to email me with questions or if you'd like to talk, stop by my office hours, all that. If you decide it's not for you, that's of course completely fine and I'd be thrilled to have you in any of my classes as an elective. But if you think you might want to pursue this, let's have a chat. I think you could be capable of creating something magnificent."

He reached out and clapped a hand on Alec's shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze before stepping back behind his desk. "Now, off you get. I'd hate to keep you from meeting back up with Mr. Bane," he said, glancing up at Alec with a knowing look. Alec blushed.

"Thanks, Professor. I'll - this has given me a lot to think about, for sure," he said, his mind racing. "Thank you."

Branwell simply smiled at him as Alec turned and hurried out of the room. He pounded down the hallway, his heart soaring higher with possibilities at each step, and nearly ran Magnus over when he shoved open the heavy double doors. "Hey!"

"Everything all right?" Magnus asked, his hand curling around Alec's hip to steady them both. "You're not failing, are you?"

"Yeah, it's - what, no, I'm not failing!" Alec protested. "But good to know what you really think of my writing," he teased, tossing an arm around Magnus's shoulders and steering him towards the dining commons.

"No -!"

"He wanted to talk to me about majoring in writing," Alec told him, excitement coloring his words. Maybe it was actually possible for him to have a degree, a _career_, in something that he loved. Magnus spun to block Alec's path, his fingers hooking in Alec's belt loops to hold him in place.

"He what?!" Magnus demanded, his eyes locked on Alec's.

"He thinks I'm a good writer and he thinks I have an innate talent in creating characters and worlds and he's interested in reading more and he thinks I'm capable of creating something magnificent and he's inviting me into the creative writing concentration," Alec rambled, his grin growing by the second. Magnus's smile matched his own and he reached up, his hands framing Alec's face and tugging him into a hard kiss.

"Darling, that's incredible! That's the most exclusive major in the school, there's only been a tiny handful of creative writing grads since the program started because of how picky Branwell is with his students!" Magnus enthused.

"He told me to think about it and to email him with any questions. But I feel like I have all the questions? I don't want to be annoying. What if I'm annoying? Should I do it? Is it too risky? What if I suck? Maybe I shouldn't -" Alec babbled, excitement giving way to fear.

"Alexander." Alec stared at him. "You're incredibly talented."

"You're dating me, you're required to say that."

"You're an idiot, I'm not required to say anything," Magnus scoffed. "But you are truly a fantastic writer. Once you get out of your head and actually focus, the stories and characters and worlds that you're able to weave are captivating. If anyone could succeed at writing, it's you." His thumb brushed back and forth over Alec's cheek. "If nothing else, it's worth sitting down with Branwell and getting more information about it all."

"But what if I major in writing and then I graduate and I can't find a job or I can't get published or my writing goes nowhere and I'm just stuck working at, like, a Starbucks or something forever and I'm a huge failure and -"

"_Alexander_," Magnus insisted, his hands tight on Alec's shoulders. "Darling, you're dating a theatre major. We'll be starving artists together."

Alec's heart skipped a beat like the stupidly romantic thing it was. "You really think you'll still want to be with me when I graduate in two and a half years?" he whispered. Magnus's smile widened and his hands slid down Alec's arms to thread their fingers together.

"You absolutely ridiculous thing, I can't imagine a time when I _wouldn't_ want to be with you, whether it's two years from now or two hundred," the senior murmured, stepping closer and brushing a barely there kiss against the corner of Alec's mouth.

"You really think I could do it?" Alec asked, tilting his face until his lips skated across Magnus's. His boyfriend stole a quick kiss and backed away, a sly smile sketched across his face as he tugged Alec towards lunch.

"I'll even put on a cheerleading skirt to cheer you on for every page you write," he teased, his eyes glittering suggestively. Alec grinned and sped up to catch him with an arm tight around his waist.

"I'm pretty sure that would be more of a distraction than an incentive," he pointed out cheekily. He was practically skipping as they hurried up to the dining commons to meet up with their friends, his smile stretching ear to ear. They shuffled through the crowds to pick up their lunches, a salad with grilled chicken for Magnus and a few slices of pizza for Alec. They paid and threaded their way over to the table.

"Magnus, what the hell did you do to Alec?" Jace demanded, staring up at Alec as they walked up and placed their plates down.

Simon ducked his head and mock-whispered, "_Hammering_," into his cheeseburger. Alec reached over and flicked his forehead.

"Magnus didn't do anything," he protested, sitting down heavily and instantly sucking in a sharp breath, the deep ache in his ass jumping to attention once more. Magnus bit back a laugh and Alec kicked his ankle as he settled more carefully into the chair.

"Oh, I highly doubt that," Cat commented, leaning back in her seat and smirking at him over her coffee cup.

"Catarina," Magnus warned, glaring at her.

"Seriously, Alec, what's going on?" Isabelle persisted. "You look like you're ready to do cartwheels around the cafeteria."

"Alexander has just been presented with an incredible academic opportunity and he's absolutely going to investigate it," Magnus told them before Alec had a chance to deflect attention. Everyone turned and looked expectantly at him.

"Well?!" Clary prompted. Alec groaned.

"Okay, so I'm taking creative writing with Professor Branwell this semester and he stopped me after class today and asked what my thoughts are on my major and invited me to consider a creative writing concentration and -"

"_Wait._"

Catarina dropped her coffee back onto the table with a hard _thunk_ and glared over Alec's shoulder as he and Magnus both twisted in their chairs to see Camille looming over them.

"Did you just say Branwell invited you into the creative writing concentration?" she demanded. "The concentration that virtually no one gets into? _You?_"

Alec bit the inside of his cheek and turned back, reaching for his bottle of water to take a swig and calm his instant irritation. "Well, yes," he responded finally, glancing back up at her. "Although I fail to see how it's any of your business."

"You're a _sophomore_," she pointed out scathingly. Magnus bristled next to him and Alec reached out, wrapping his fingers around Magnus's wrist to hold him at bay.

"That is entirely correct, Camel," Alec agreed, his voice icy.

"_Camille._"

"Whatever."

"How in the hell did you manage to convince Branwell to admit you into the concentration?" Her gaze shifted down to Alec's hand on Magnus's arm. "Did you suck his dick right along with Magnus's?"

"Get the fuck out of here, Camille," Cat ordered, fury barely restrained.

"Oh, Kitty Cat, were you looking to get in on that action too?" Camille taunted, smirking across the table at her.

"Camille, you're out of line and you know it," Magnus told her, his voice quiet. He flipped his hand and laced his fingers together with Alec's. "This has nothing to do with you."

"I can't help my curiosity that, out of nowhere, this bland little boy, apparently did _something_ well enough to impress Branwell -"

Magnus suddenly stood, his fingers slipping free from Alec's grip as he reached to grab one of Alec's slices of pizza. He spun and, in a moment of dead silence, slapped the pizza straight onto Camille's chest, staining her white silk top with a bright triangle of cheese and sauce as she shrieked. "Insult me all you want, Camille, but my boyfriend is anything but bland," he informed her calmly. "He's a hundred times the person you'll ever be and he was invited into the program because he's a better writer than any of us. That's it. The verbal attacks end here." He turned and dropped the topping-less slice onto Isabelle's empty plate. He licked a finger free of sauce and smoothly sat back down.

"Are you fucking insane?" Camille demanded shrilly. "Do you even know how much this is going to cost to dry clean?!"

"Send me a bill," he responded dismissively, waving a hand at her. "But you should take care of that before the stain sets," he added, picking his fork up and lifting a tomato to his mouth.

She spluttered for a moment before finally stamping her foot and hurrying off, shoving a freshman girl out of the way as she stormed out of the dining commons. Alec watched her leave before spinning in his seat and staring open-mouthed at Magnus.

"What the fuck?!" he blurted out finally.

"No one gets away with insulting my boyfriend like that, especially not that hag," Magnus explained, his eyes fierce as he looked back at Alec. "She was only acting like that because of my history with her, and it's unacceptable."

"God_damn_, Magnus," Simon commented approvingly, grinning at him.

"She's not going to let that go, you know that," Cat pointed out, though she couldn't hide the smile stretching across her face.

"I don't care, honestly," Magnus responded. "I'm not taking her shit anymore. I stand up for the people I love and she's not going to get away with talking about Alec like that."

A rush of emotions flooded through Alec at Magnus's words and he leaned in, curling his hand around Magnus's jaw and pulling him in for a searing kiss. "You're kinda great," he told the senior when they finally broke apart.

"Just kinda?" Magnus asked, giving him a wink as his hand slid up Alec's thigh. Oh, Alec was _so_ going to blow his mind later that night.

"I think this all deserves a toast," Izzy announced.

"You and your toasts," Jace grumbled, reluctantly joining the table as they held up a variety of beverages.

"To Alec's invitation into the creative writing program," she began.

"To Magnus being a badass," Simon interrupted, pointing a finger at him.

"To pizza," Cat added. She shrugged when they all looked questioningly at her. "That whole moment wouldn't have happened without it," she said.

Alec shook his head, grinning as they all clinked their drinks together. Magnus squeezed his fingers, running his thumb over the back of Alec's hand. Alec squeezed back and decided right then and there to make an appointment to go talk with Professor Branwell.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY BABIES. MY LOVES. MY DARLINGS. -sobs forever- I never never never intended to not update in so long. I had some family shit going on in the beginning of the year, then I transitioned to a new job on my team, and then the pandemic hit. As I work in telemedicine for a major hospital, I've been working 60+ hour weeks which has left me with approximately -157 hours and energy to write. This one chapter was written over the course of about two full months. -flails-
> 
> That said, I have the next two chapters written already (they've legit been drafted/written since November >.>), so I can guarantee there won't be as much of a delay going forward. Thank you all so so so much for the comments and rereads and love and I just gfhuispguaihudi I adore you all more than words can say. Truly. ❤️❤️❤️
> 
> On a bit of a serious note, I honestly and genuinely hope that each of you and your loved ones are all safe and healthy and stay that way. ❤️

"So..." Alec scraped his thumbnail over a hairline scratch on the side of the coffee mug. "Um... what exactly is required for all this?"

Professor Branwell sat back in the plush armchair, one ankle hooked over his knee as he cradled his cup of tea in his hands. "You'll be expected to take a number of literature classes, more than the general education requirements - literary theory and criticism, introduction to fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, Shakespeare, literary movements, so on and so forth. This is all in addition to actual writing classes. A fair few of those will just be independent study courses, in which you and I would meet once or twice a week, I'd give you an assignment or something to work on, and you'd do so. Others would be actual classes offered by the university, such as screenwriting, playwriting, introduction to creative writing."

He paused to take a sip of tea and met Alec's eyes with a steady gaze. "I'll be honest, it's quite a bit of one-on-one work with yours truly, and I expect a fair amount from my advisees. I'm not an easy professor and this isn't an easy program."

"I don't want easy," Alec told him quickly. "No offense, but if I did, I wouldn't even consider going into writing as a career."

Branwell flashed him a quick grin. "Good lad. I'm glad to hear that. Creative writing isn't a field for the faint of heart. Starving artists and all that." Alec bit back a grin as the professor echoed Magnus's words. "At the beginning of your senior year, you and I would sit down to discuss your capstone course. Depending on what type of writing on which you'd like to focus, you'd spend much of that year working on your senior project. You and I would meet regularly throughout that year discussing it, feedback, collaboration, et cetera."

"And... after graduation?" Alec prompted. He was almost afraid to ask.

"Well, there's where it gets a smidge sticky," Branwell responded slowly. "Writing is a notoriously difficult field to break into. You can write and write and write all you want and some people never make it anywhere. Others find tremendous success. Again, it'll depend on what type of writing you want to do, but if you ask me? I see you as someone who writes and writes and writes and doesn't give up until he gets what he wants - namely, published."

"You really think I could get published?" Alec mumbled, his eyes wide as he clutched his coffee mug. A slow smile spread over the professor's face.

"My dear boy, you do like to underestimate yourself, don't you?" Alec gave a tiny shrug. "Mr. Lightwood, you're an incredibly gifted writer. I personally want to see more from you and I can only imagine the world will as well. You've still got quite a bit of work to do, but what I've seen from you this semester thus far, I genuinely believe you can get there." Branwell shifted in his chair. "Again, it's not going to be easy. I don't invite students into this concentration that I don't believe can be successful, but I work my students quite hard. I have high standards and I expect all of my students to not only meet those standards, but to exceed them."

"I definitely wouldn't want to let you down if I were to join the concentration." Alec chewed on his lip and stared down into his coffee. Self-doubt began swirling in his mind as he considered the multitudes of ways in which he could prove to be a massive disappointment should he go down this path. He should probably just drop the entire idea and choose something safe, something that didn't have the potential to crash and burn in such a spectacular way.

"Mr. Lightwood, I don't let my students fail, please know that," Branwell reassured him. "And I don't take anyone into this concentration that I don't think can succeed."

"Right, but -"

"For example, next weekend I'm traveling to New York City for the Broadway debut of a play written by one of my former students, one of the first graduates of this concentration," Branwell continued, barrelling over Alec's protestation as though he hadn't uttered a sound. "His strengths leaned towards playwriting, so that was what he had been working on during his senior year. He came to me the week before his final semester, terrified of literally everything. Terrified of his capstone, terrified of the writer's block he'd been fighting, terrified of graduating and facing 'the beyond', terrified of just absolutely failing at everything."

"Professor -" Alec tried again, a metallic taste coating his tongue as the fears Branwell was rattling off inched just a bit too close for comfort.

"He seemed to think that to be a successful writer, you had to be able to summon words out of nothing and nowhere, with no blocks, no walls, no fighting with your characters or realizing your plot is shite," Branwell elaborated, his eyes piercing straight through Alec's defenses. "He'd somehow dug himself into this hole that writing is linear, that he started at point A and wrote in a straight, chronological line until he finished at point Z. He and I met almost daily for two straight weeks where we talked about how many of the best authors jump all over the place in writing their pieces, deleting whole scenes, characters, plotlines, or even the entire work before starting straight over. Once he'd sort of gotten all that through his head, he was able to sit back and relax and just take the pressure of that need for success and throw it out the window. When he did, that's when everything came together quite beautifully and he's done nothing but rise since then."

He leaned in and pointed a finger at Alec's chest. "That pressure to succeed? I see it on your shoulders as well. I'm not sure where it comes from, whether it's your parents, your coach, friends, or self-imposed, but there's a difference between a _drive_ to succeed and a _pressure_ to do so. A _drive_ to succeed can help push you to that next level, but a pressure like what I see on you? That can often have the opposite effect, because you can get so preoccupied with that pressure and living up to it that it ends up pulling you down."

Alec stared wide-eyed at him, suddenly cold as the professor's words struck home.

"If you do decide to continue with this concentration, I'd like to try and help you with that," Branwell offered softly, his face kind and open as he watched Alec's reactions. "I told you the other day that I didn't want to see your talents wasted in some dull corporate office somewhere, but I also don't want to see you self-sabotage." He gave Alec a small smile and held up his tea cup. "Just going to let you think for a moment while I get a bit of a refill. Care for another?"

Alec shook his head dumbly and stared down into the dregs of his coffee as Branwell stepped over to the counter again. His mind swirled with all the possibilities. He wanted to do this, so badly, but his entire life, he'd been raised with the expectation of only success. Nothing else was acceptable. The life of a writer - really, the life of anyone in the creative arts - had its ups and downs and success was never a guarantee. In fact, he knew that the opposite was far more likely than not and that _terrified_ him, much like Professor Branwell's former student.

Magnus's face suddenly flashed through his mind and his heart instantly calmed. Magnus had wholeheartedly thrown himself into the uncertainty that was the life of a creative soul and he'd welcomed the possibility of Alec joining him in it with open arms. Alec's fingers tightened around his mug as his pulse sped up. He could do this. He could totally do this. And if he tripped and fell along the way, so what?

"It's just part of it all," he breathed to himself, an unwitting grin stealing across his face.

"Sorry?"

Alec glanced up, startled, as Branwell settled back into his chair and he made up his mind. "How do I go about declaring writing as my major?" he asked. Branwell sat back up and grinned at him before he held up his hand to catch the barista's attention.

"So sorry, dearie, but could I get that tea to go instead?"

* * *

Alec walked out of the academic building with his heart soaring through the clouds. He slid the folder of paperwork into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he strode quickly across the parking lot, hunching his shoulders against the brisk mid-autumn chill. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and dug it out as he dodged a tour group shuffling towards the freshman dorms.

_I hope your meeting with Branwell went well, darling! Tessa, Cat, Ragnor, Jem, and I are getting dinner at the Adamant if you'd care to join us._

Alec immediately spun around and trotted off towards the dining commons, tapping out a quick response with wind-chilled fingers.

_On my way!_

He shoved his phone and hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt and hurried towards the warmth of the dining hall. Once inside, he veered away from the crowds heading up to the cafeteria and walked towards the Adamant, a more casual, pub-style dining option on the AU campus. He spotted George behind the counter, chatting with one of the chefs, and gave him a wave before heading inside to find Magnus. Luckily, the place was fairly empty at that moment and Magnus's group had managed to grab one of the big tables in the center of the room, food scattered across the table between them all. Alec's heart gave a stupid little jump and he beelined straight for them. He dropped his bag onto the ground next to the table and leaned over the back of Magnus's chair, wrapping an arm around his chest and pressing a kiss on his cheek.

"Alexander! That was quick, I didn't expect to see you so soon," Magnus said, catching Alec's fingers against his chest and twisting to look up at him. "Did everything go okay?"

"Yeah, it went great," Alec reassured him, squeezing his boyfriend's hand as his stomach grumbled. He reluctantly slipped his hand from Magnus's grip. "But I'm starving. Lemme go order something to eat and I'll be right back."

"Alec, could you pleeeease get some French fries?" Cat asked, her voice wheedling as she gazed pleadingly up at him. Alec gave her a quick salute.

"As you wish!"

"He's so lovely to have around," she teased, winking at Magnus.

"In so many ways," Magnus added, grinning. Alec spun around to hide his blush as he walked back over to the counter, reaching across to bump fists with George.

"The usual?"

"Yeah, and an extra order of fries," Alec said, swiping his student ID to pay for the food.

"That your man I've been hearing so much about?" George asked, reaching into the fridge under the counter to grab a bottle of water.

"Yeah, that's Magnus - wait, you've heard about us?" Alec repeated, startled. George rolled his eyes and tossed the bottle at him.

"Lightwood, you two have had the entire campus talking for weeks now."

"No one's said anything to me," Alec muttered.

"Are you happy?"

Alec's breath caught in his throat and he glanced over at Magnus, his heart swelling when Magnus looked up and smiled at him. "Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I'm really happy."

"Then _that's_ why you haven't heard people talking, you sap," George teased him. Alec grinned sheepishly and ducked his head. "All right, get out of here. I'll give you a shout when your burger's ready."

Alec tipped his bottle of water towards George, a soft smile still playing around his lips. "Thanks, man." He turned and sauntered back over to the table, sliding into the empty seat next to Magnus. The senior instantly laced their fingers together and pressed a quick kiss to them.

"Your hands are freezing," he commented, rubbing the palm of his free hand over the chilled skin.

"Well, yeah, it's cold out," Alec pointed out.

"And you're not wearing a jacket... why?" Tessa asked.

"Too many knocks to the head during football matches."

"Ragnor," Jem chastised, glaring at the other boy.

"I put a sweatshirt on, that's good enough," Alec said, shrugging one shoulder. 

"I'll deal with your atrocious lack of common sense when it comes to appropriate outerwear later. How did everything go with Branwell?" Magnus prompted. Alec mentally kicked back a flutter of nerves and reached into his bag, pulling out the folder of paperwork just as George called his name. He handed the folder to Magnus with a cheeky grin and quickly moved to pick up his food, taking the plate from George right as Cat shrieked his name.

"You've been summoned," George said wryly.

"Oh, don't worry, I heard," Alec responded, shaking his head and heading back to the table with his food and Cat's fries.

"_Alec!_ You declared!" Cat shouted excitedly, clapping her hands as Alec slid back into his seat and handed over her fries.

"I did declare, yes," he repeated, ducking his head a bit. Magnus's hand slid around the back of Alec's neck, his thumb skating over the soft skin behind Alec's ear.

"Welcome to the dark side, darling," Magnus murmured, pulling Alec close and brushing a light kiss against his lips. The brief contact heated Alec's blood, his heart racing in his chest, and a dopey, lovesick grin spread across his face as his boyfriend pulled back.

"Oh, for the love of god, keep it in your pants," Ragnor grumbled. Jem threw a chunk of pizza crust at him.

"Are you excited?" Tessa asked, leaning forward.

"I am, yeah. I'd never thought about majoring in writing, but Branwell seems pretty confident, so... yeah. Terrified, but excited," Alec added, biting into his burger.

"Don't worry, inherent terror is just part of going after a creative career," Jem joked with a soft smile.

"Besides, if writing doesn't work out for you, you could make a killing as a male exotic dancer," Cat offered. Magnus glared at her and whacked Alec's back as he choked on his burger. "What?! I'm not wrong!"

"I think I'd try out retail or Starbucks or something before stripping, but thank you," Alec gasped when he finally caught his breath, eyes watering.

"Just remember all of us when you become a famous writer," Tessa teased.

"You'll all get invitations to the release party," Alec responded dryly.

"So what's the next step?" Magnus asked, stealing one of Alec's fries.

"Branwell said there's not much for me to do right at this moment since we're in the middle of the semester, but he said once the class listings for spring are released, we'll sit down and go over the options and see what would be the best fit for me," Alec explained. "But in the meantime, he wanted me to kind of think about what types of writing I really enjoyed and what types I wasn't really into and we'd try to craft a syllabus around those, still keeping in mind that he'd want my classes to still be fairly well-rounded."

"Expectations will be high," Cat warned lightly.

"And he'll exceed every one of those expectations," Magnus retorted, his hand protectively resting high on Alec's thigh. Alec's cheeks warmed both at his boyfriend's faith in him as well as the squeeze of his fingers.

Ragnor changed the topic of conversation at that moment to the mainstage show, complaining about the director's blocking for a particular scene. Alec finished his meal and settled against Magnus, listening contentedly as the seniors debated the merits of the director's choices. His fingers curled softly around Magnus's wrist, his hand still firm on Alec's leg, mirroring Magnus's smile when his boyfriend turned towards him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

* * *

The next month flew by faster than Alec could even comprehend. He spent whatever time he could with Magnus, both of them realizing the senior's time was becoming more limited the closer they came to the fall show's opening as the director and stage manager added more frequent and longer rehearsals. A week before opening night, Alec resigned himself to texts and stolen minutes here and there throughout the day as nearly all of Magnus's time was taken over by the show.

At the moment, he was hurrying towards the door to the theatre, eager for the quick five minutes that they'd have between his meeting with Branwell to discuss classes for next semester and the start of Magnus's rehearsal. He rounded the corner of the hallway and spotted the senior leaning against the wall opposite the theatre door. Magnus glanced up as he approached, a wide smile spreading across his face when Alec crowded against him and wrapped his arms around Magnus's shoulders.

"I miss you," Alec confessed quietly against Magnus's neck. Magnus's hands slid around Alec's waist and held him tightly.

"I know, darling," the senior murmured, his lips brushing against Alec's ear. "One more week and then I'm all yours again." Alec hummed unhappily, knowing full well he was being needy. These absences would only grow once Magnus graduated; if they were going to make it together long-term, he'd need to learn to make the most of whatever time they had. "What are you up to tonight?" he asked as he pulled back slightly, his fingers still pressing into Alec's back and keeping him close.

"Game night with Jace, Clary, Izzy, Maia, and Simon. Clary and Izzy just got another Cards Against Humanity expansion pack and have insisted that we need to play immediately," Alec said, rolling his eyes. His hand drifted down Magnus's arm, curling around firm muscle as the other settled against the back of Magnus's neck.

"May your cards be saucy and the prompts provoking," Magnus intoned solemnly, the twinkle in his eye belying any seriousness.

"Don't encourage them," Alec retorted with a chuckle. A brief flurry of chatter echoed through the hallway as one of the crew - costume, by the looks of the clothes draped over her arms - yanked open the door with a huff and hurried into the theatre. Magnus sighed and gazed up at Alec.

"Meet me after rehearsal and stay with me tonight? I'll skip my morning class tomorrow so we can have a little extra time together," he asked softly.

"Text me when you're finishing up and I'll head right over," Alec promised. He leaned in as Magnus stepped close, sinking into the kiss and once again memorizing the feel of his boyfriend pressed against him and stealing his heart. "I love you."

Magnus's eyes were endlessly warm as he pulled away, reaching up to trace his thumb over Alec's jawline. "I love you too, my darling. Go have your game night and send me photos of your cards."

Alec smiled and brushed a quick kiss over the fingertips that skated over his lips before dropping. "I'll see you soon."

He watched Magnus disappear into the theatre and hoisted his bag further onto his shoulder before turning and heading out of the building towards his dorm. Glancing down at his phone, he knew everyone would already be crowded into his and Jace's dorm room; he sped up into a light jog and made it up to the room a few minutes later. As much as he hated walking away from Magnus, nothing really compared to an absurd evening playing games with his family and friends. They all sprawled on the floor of the dorm room for several hours, shouting at each other and arguing the winners of each round. Alec sent photos of some of his better cards to Magnus and received a few responses that had him anxious for the end of rehearsal.

Finally, he checked his phone to see the text he'd been waiting to receive: _Should be finishing up in 10-15 - head over any time!_ Izzy threw a Twizzler at him in protest when he attempted to stand mid-round and Simon threw himself over his legs so he couldn't leave.

"You guys are so annoying," Alec grumbled when the round finished up.

"No one leaves mid-game," Izzy scoffed as she and Clary gathered all of the cards into the box.

"I'm going to be late meeting with Magnus," Alec complained, hoisting himself to his feet and throwing away the empty Doritos bag.

"Right, like he wouldn't wait for you or something," Simon pointed out.

"It's the principle of the thing."

"You're an idiot," Jace dismissed. Alec opened his mouth to respond when a distant _boom_ stole everyone's attention.

"What the hell was that?" Maia mused as she opened up the door to the hallway and looked out in both directions.

"That almost sounded like something blew up," Clary commented.

"Should we like... evacuate or something?" Maia asked, frowning as she closed the door again.

"No, the fire alarms aren't going off or anything. I think we're okay," Alec murmured, looking down at his phone for any alerts.

"Holy shit..." Simon breathed. Alec glanced over at him; he'd crossed the room to look out the window facing the rest of campus. "I think something _did_ blow up." He glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the group. "One of the buildings in the middle of campus has a ton of smoke coming from it."

They all rushed towards him, crowding around the window to peer through the thick panes. Alec's eyes widened as he watched the thick black smoke stretch inky fingers into the dark sky. "Fuck, that looks bad," he whispered. "What the hell happened?"

"Who knows," Jace replied, leaning over Clary to squint at the sight. "Gas explosion maybe? I can't imagine anyone would have done this on purpose -"

"Jace, shut up," Maia interrupted suddenly. "Alec, isn't that the arts building?"

"_What?!_"

Alec shoved Simon out of the way and pressed his face against the window, nearly straining his eyes as he tried to identify the building in the dark.

"I think it is," Clary whispered in a tiny voice, her eyes wide as she huddled against Jace's chest.

"No, it can't... it can't be," Alec argued as a chill crept over him. "Magnus was there..."

_Rehearsal wasn't over yet._

He spun without another word, yanking the door open and pounding down the stairs, his siblings and friends shouting after him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to remind you all that you love me. And these boys. And this story. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HATE ME, 'KAY?! 👀

Alec's heart was dead in his chest as he, Jace, and Simon sprinted from their dorm towards the burning building across campus, Isabelle, Maia, and Clary close behind. Flames and smoke leapt into the air as the inferno raged. _No, no, no, no, God, _please_, don't let him still be in there, please..._ Clusters of students huddled in the middle of the adjoining parking lot, tear-stained and horror-stricken faces staring as the disaster grew. Alec shoved his way through them all, unable to look away as his eyes scanned over the crowds, searching desperately for the one face he needed to see. He flinched as the windows on the uppermost floor of the arts building exploded, the roar of the fire growing by the minute. A wall of heat rolled over them, blasting away the lingering chill of the late fall evening.

"Alec - Alec, _stop!_" Jace finally caught up with him towards the front of the retreating crowds, grabbing his arm and yanking him back.

"Get the _fuck_ off of me!"

"Alec, you can't go in there, man, that place is gonna come down any second now," Simon chimed in, screeching to a halt in front of Alec, his hands raised.

"I have to - he was in there, he was _there_, he had rehearsal -" Alec choked out, his eyes burning as he stared up at the flames screaming from the shattered windows.

"And he probably got out, it looks like the fire started on the second floor, he wouldn't have been up there," Simon pointed out. "He would have been in the green room in the basement or in the theatre on the first floor, not higher up."

"But -"

"Alec!"

In an instant, Alec broke Jace's hold on his arm and shoved Simon aside, racing over to Catarina and Ragnor. Her face was streaked with soot, tear tracks cutting hard lines down her cheeks, and both of the seniors were coughing.

"Cat!" He made it to her just as she stumbled, catching her around the waist as she fell to the ground, Ragnor slowly lowering himself to his knees next to her. "Cat, Magnus. _Where's Magnus?_"

She glanced up at him, the fear and worry evident in her features as she sucked in a deep breath before doubling over in a wracking fit of coughing. Terror seized Alec's lungs and he looked pleadingly over at Ragnor, unable to speak.

"Bloody stupid fool," he rasped, coughing into his sleeve. "We kept smelling gas all evening, then the whole place exploded - fucking stampede to get out of there. Magnus shoved us out and went to go find Camille up on the catwalk, she'd just gone up to cross for her next scene - insisted on going round to make sure she and everyone else got out from backstage and up in the wings."

"Backstage and..." Alec's throat closed up. Part of the backstage area stretched up to the second floor. He knew the theatre department had some storage up there, as well as access to some of the lighting grids and the catwalk stretching from one side of the stage to the other. He sat back on his heels and stared up at the flames, barely identifying the sirens in the distance.

"Alec..." This, more than anything, made Alec's heart plummet into the ground. Ragnor had never once called him by his name. He glanced pleadingly back at the senior, Cat still clinging to him, tears welling up in his eyes. _Please don't._ "Alec, Camille ran out a few minutes after we did, but... he hasn't come out yet."

There it was. Alec felt like he'd been shot, a massive hole opening in his chest and his entire life pouring out onto the ground. He gritted his teeth as his head bowed, despair surging through him. Jace's hand landed on his shoulder and Izzy crouched down in front of him, clasping his free hand in both of hers, tears shimmering in her eyes.

"He wanted to make sure everyone was safe," Cat told him hoarsely, her eyes bloodshot.

"He's a fucking idiot," Alec choked out, giving his face a vicious swipe against his sleeve, wiping tears away as police and fire trucks screamed into the parking lot, sirens blaring and lights flashing. "He should have - he can't -" Words failed him once more as grief overtook him. He bit back a sob and squeezed his eyes shut.

A sudden shout grew from the gathered students. Alec glanced up, his vision still blurred, to see people pointing up at the building. He followed their gazes and his eyes widened, clearing in a heartbeat. He gently pushed Cat and Izzy off of him and slowly stood, staring up at a set of windows on the third floor as the police quickly set up a blockade, urging the onlookers away from the building.

"It's him," Alec breathed, his world narrowing to the silhouette pressed against the windows, lit from behind with dull flickers of orange and red, one pale palm pressed against the glass. "It has to be him."

Jace quickly stepped in front of him, both hands pressing against his shoulders, holding him back. "Alec - "

"I'm going in," Alec decided breathlessly. A chorus of protests erupted around him, but he heard none of them. The only thing that mattered was that hand against the window, sliding lower down the pane. "I'm going to get him."

A burst of adrenaline raced through his veins as he broke free of Jace's grip and dodged around his brother, staring up at that window and fixing its position in his mind. He hurdled over one of the wooden barricades set up by campus police, ignoring the terrified shrieks of his friends and siblings and twisting away from the police officers and firefighters that tried to catch him. This was just another game of football, everyone and everything around him was an opposing player, and Magnus was his touchdown.

He yanked the door open, his eyes instantly burning and watering, the bellow of the flames overtaking his senses. He pulled his t-shirt over his mouth and nose in a weak attempt to block the smoke and took the stairs three at a time up the five short flights of stairs to the third floor.

_Take a left, down the hall, side corridor, find him, get out._ Alec repeated his self-assigned instructions as he wrapped the bottom half of his t-shirt around his hand, hissing when the blazing metal of the door handle bit through the thin fabric as he yanked the door open on the third-floor landing, ducking with a muffled "Fuck!" when a smoldering ceiling tile fell onto him. It was nearly impossible to see anything up here, thick black smoke forming solid walls around him. His breath seared in his lungs, roasting him from the inside out.

He choked in another breath through his shirt and took off, sprinting down the flaming corridor, past an oil painting now covered in soot and grime and a display of flowers that had quickly wilted from the intense heat. He squinted as he ran, desperately hoping he didn't miss the opening to the side hallway leading to those windows. The building shuddered and crumbled around him and Alec knew he was just minutes away from disaster. Through the haze, he spotted a roil of smoke curling off to one side and he careened around the corner, sharp pants of breath slicing through his throat. His feet pounded towards the windows at the end of the hall.

The corridor was empty.

Tears streaked down Alec's cheeks as he glanced frantically around. He was here, Magnus was supposed to be _here_ \- that was _his_ handprint on the windowpane, smudged and streaked. He shouldered open the door to his left, biting back a curse when he saw the bloom of flame eating its way through the far wall of the graphic design lab. He scraped an arm over his face to clear his vision and backed out, turning and shoving open the opposite door. A timer started ticking in his mind when his eyes landed on the growing crackle of flames in the back corner of the classroom, eating its way across the ceiling. He peered through the room, his entire soul blindly reaching out to the only person that mattered.

An overturned desk acted like a neon sign by the far set of windows, directing him better than any signpost. Alec's heart leapt as he rushed into the room, knocking aside desks and chairs as he beelined towards the crumpled figure on the floor beneath the window. He slid to his knees at Magnus's side, gathering the older boy into his arms, one hand fluttering helplessly over face and throat and chest. Magnus's head lolled onto his shoulder, his skin dangerously pale and blood sheeting down one side of his face from a vicious cut at his hairline, the tiniest puff of breath against Alec's neck telling Alec he was still alive.

"Magnus, hey, Magnus, come on, wake up, baby, I need you to wake up for me, please, wake up. Come on, sweetheart, please open your eyes, let me see your beautiful eyes, love, c'mon, wake up," Alec babbled in a hoarse whisper, his throat on fire with every word. He'd never before called Magnus anything but his name, but if ever there was a time to start using endearments, it was now. He brushed his fingers through Magnus's hair, an elated sob spilling from his lips when Magnus's eyes slowly opened, bloodshot and glazed over, but still the same gorgeous gaze that Alec loved so much. "Hi, sweetheart," he whispered, smiling down at him as his thumb swept over the arch of Magnus's cheekbone.

"Alec... what..." Magnus's hand landed on Alec's wrist, his fingers trembling and weak as he frowned groggily.

"C'mon, Magnus, we gotta go, we have to leave, baby, we gotta get you up." The ravenous crackle of flame was drawing ever closer, waves of intense heat surrounding them, warning Alec that they were being trapped with every passing second. "I need you to get up, sweetheart, come on, we gotta go," he said urgently, clambering to his feet and pulling Magnus up.

"Alec, just -" A vicious cough wracked Magnus's body and he sagged against the windowsill. Alec pressed himself against his side, and for a single delirious moment, he imagined what they looked like to their friends on the ground, two silhouettes twisted together as the building collapsed around them. Magnus's hand lifted, curling around Alec's jaw, their foreheads resting against each other as he dragged in a ragged breath. "Please just get yourself safe."

"Magnus, I'm _not fucking leaving you_," Alec hissed furiously, his voice cracking. "I can't. I _won't_." Magnus's touch solidified on his skin and Alec captured his mouth in a desperate kiss tasting of smoke and blood. "I love you so fucking much and I'm _not_ leaving you."

"My Alec," Magnus breathed against his lips, his eyes slipping briefly closed again. Alec took half a moment to pull Magnus's thin sweater up over his mouth and nose, yanking his own t-shirt back up. Alec pulled Magnus's arm around his shoulders and wrapped his own arm around the senior's waist, holding him tight to his side. They both looked at each other for the span of a heartbeat, eyes wide over makeshift masks, before Magnus's fingers trembled against Alec's shoulder and Alec urged them into motion. Magnus stumbled along, clutching at Alec's neck to keep himself upright, his legs seemingly about to give out at any moment. They both flinched when a gout of flame burst from the ruined graphic design lab and Alec quickly tugged them down the hall and around the corner, the heat and smoke infinitely worse than it had been when he made his way to Magnus just minutes before. Small puddles of fire littered the hallway, eating their way up the walls and across the floor, forcing them to hurriedly leap over it in some sections. Alec's mind began to swim, light-headed and fuzzy, as they struggled to make their way out of the building.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the doors leading to the stairwell, only to find them completely enveloped in fire, boiling paint dripping down the doors as flames sheeted across the ceiling and down the walls. Alec's heart sank as he frantically surveyed their choices - or rather, the _only_ choice. He looked down at Magnus. "We gotta move fast," he said hoarsely, his tongue tripping over the words. "I need you to trust me."

"To the ends of the earth," Magnus whispered immediately. Alec released his shirt for a moment and leaned in, pressing his lips to Magnus's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, babe. Cover your face," Alec told him breathlessly, pulling his shirt back over his nose. He sucked in a lungful of fiery air and held it as Magnus ducked his head against Alec's chest. Before he could realize what a fucking stupid idea this was, Alec rushed them forward to kick open the push-bar in the center of the door. He quickly shoved Magnus through and moved to follow as the heavy door swung closed, slamming into the back of his shoulder. He spun away with a strangled shout, stumbling onto the landing and catching Magnus in his arms.

Alec's shoulder was on fire, quite literally. Ignoring the pain streaking through his body, he pressed himself against the stone wall of the stairwell, rolling back and forth a few times to put out the flames licking across his t-shirt.

"Alec..." Magnus's eyes were dull, none of their usual glittering wit present as he struggled to raise his gaze to meet Alec's. He was fading, quickly.

"C'mon, love, you gotta stay with me, I need you to stay with me." Alec's voice sounded slurred in his ears. He pushed them off the wall and dragged them both towards the stairs, his grip on Magnus unyielding. They made it down one of the short flights, tripping and sliding a few steps and stumbling into the far wall on the landing between the second and third floors. Alec sucked in a deep breath, his chest feeling like it was being squeezed shut as Magnus sagged against his side. "Magnus... Magnus, hey, come on, sweetheart, we're almost there, we gotta go, baby, come on," he pleaded weakly. He didn't bother to wait for a response, half-carrying and half-dragging Magnus down the next set of stairs. Magnus's breath was coming in short wheezes against Alec's neck when they reached the second-floor landing. His boyfriend needed help, he needed oxygen, he needed a hospital, immediately, and, if Alec was completely honest with himself, he did too. Panicking, he let go of his shirt, acrid smoke instantly assaulting his nose and mouth, and pushed them off the wall, reaching for the handrail of the next set of stairs.

On the first step, Magnus drooped against him and Alec's legs failed. He wrapped his arms tight around Magnus and twisted as they fell, sliding down the stairs on his back. He felt something in his shoulder tear open, the hot rush of blood stoking the heat surrounding them. They landed in a tumbled heap on the landing between the first and second floors, and Magnus rolled out of his limp arms, motionless just beyond his fingertips. Alec forced himself up onto his hands and knees and crawled over to him, rivulets of blood trickling down his arm as he leaned over his boyfriend.

"No, no, no, no, Magnus, no, c'mon, baby, look at me, come on, sweetheart, come back to me, please come back to me, love, you can't leave me, please come back," he begged in a cracked whisper, his words a fervent prayer tripping from his tongue. His head was pounding and his vision blurred as his arms threatened to collapse beneath him. His fingers carded through Magnus's soot-strewn hair, dancing over the ugly cut on his forehead and the blue tinge of his lips, pressing down over his heart, tears slipping down his cheeks when he felt Magnus's heartbeat, faint against his palm. His muscles shrieking, he pulled Magnus into his lap as he sat back against the side wall of the landing, their legs tangled together.

The landing spun around him. His own breath was coming and going in shallow, wheezing pants. His energy was gone. What little strength remained was quickly sapped by the heat and smoke of the inferno growing around them. They were going to die here.

Alec's arms tightened around Magnus and he pressed his lips against his boyfriend's forehead. "I love you so much, Magnus," he whispered, his words inaudible next to the roar of the flames, his vision darkening. "You're my world."

He felt one of Magnus's fingers curl around the hem of his t-shirt as his eyes slipped closed of their own will. There was nothing more he could do. He had failed them both.

Magnus suddenly disappeared from his arms, there one moment and gone the next. Fighting against the stabbing pain behind his eyes, Alec forced them open, one hand reaching out in search of the senior. It was caught by something much stronger than he expected.

"Come on, son, time to go."

"Magnus..."

"We've got your friend, don't worry. Now you."

"No, Magnus first, he -"

"We've already got him, he's being carried out, but now we've gotta get you out of here too, before this whole place comes down around us. Rodriguez!"

Alec's vision focused enough to see the heavy-duty helmet of a firefighter crouched directly in front of him, a gloved hand wrapped around Alec's forearm. His stomach lurched and he closed his eyes again, resting his head back against the wall. "Hurts," he mumbled.

"I know, man, that's why we gotta get you out of here, come on."

"Garroway, we gotta go, now."

"Yep. Help me get him up."

Alec's surroundings spun as the two firefighters hoisted him to his feet, his arms over their shoulders, each of them catching one of his legs. They moved quickly towards the next set of stairs, stumbling down a few steps when a beam broke free from the ceiling and crashed onto the landing behind them.

"Close call," Rodriguez grunted out as they hit the first floor landing and rounded the corner to the final flight.

"Still close. Keep moving."

Alec listened to the building creaking and crumbling down around them, showers of dust and soot raining from the ceiling, the ever present roar of the fire echoing in his ears. His throat, his lungs, his eyes were all aflame, each breath, each gasp, each blink a searing dagger of exquisite torment. Garroway and Rodriguez hurried down the last few steps and through the exit. The night air felt almost frigid in comparison to the furnace-like feel of the building's interior. Alec's muscles locked up in a violent shudder and he slid from Rodriguez's grip, nearly tumbling to the ground before Garroway's hold steadied him.

"Easy, kid, I got you." The firefighter's voice cut through the sounds of shattering glass, calm and soothing, and Alec sagged against him.

"Magnus..."

"He's already in an ambulance and heading to the hospital, which is where you're also going. Medic!"

Alec batted at his hands weakly, a violent cough tearing its way through his chest. "No, I gotta -"

"No offense, son, but what you've gotta do right now is shut up and let us get you into the ambulance, come on." Rodriguez was there then, and the pair half-carried, half-dragged Alec towards the waiting ambulance, blue and white lights flashing. Two paramedics took Alec from them, settling him back onto the stretcher in a rush and fixing an oxygen mask over the lower half of his face. "You're in good hands, kid," Garroway called out, closing one of the rear doors as the ambulance driver threw the siren on.

"_WAIT!_"

Alec struggled to sit up, pushing the mask off as Jace sprinted towards the open door. "No, fucking let me in, I'm his brother, _I'm his brother!_" he shouted in protest when one of the paramedics blocked the way. The other medic glanced at Alec and waved Jace in at Alec's nod. In seconds, Jace had seated himself at Alec's side, the paramedics had closed the back doors, and a double slap on the side of the vehicle urged it into motion.

"You look like fucking shit, dude," Jace told him, his pale face and wide eyes telling what his words were hiding - he'd been scared out of his mind. Alec sucked in a wheezing breath.

"Magnus?"

"Izzy's with him, she jumped into his ambulance before they left. Put this fucking thing back on, Hannibal Lector," Jace ordered, fitting the mask back onto Alec's face.

"I feel sick," Alec slurred, his voice muffled by the oxygen mask, his vision blurring once more as he blinked up at the ceiling.

"Buddy -"

"His name's Alec," Jace interrupted, glaring up at the medic.

"Alec. Listen to me, Alec, if you think you're going to be sick, pull the mask off, you got that?" the medic instructed as he dug in a drawer by Alec's feet.

"I got him," Jace said, his gaze focused on Alec's face, his fingers lightly holding the mask in place.

"All right, now we're going to sit you up so we can take a look at your back, okay?" They eased him into a sitting position, both of them gathering behind him as he swayed into Jace. His brother's hand wrapped around the back of his head, steadying him as the medics pressed gauze against his wound.

"You don't _ever_ fucking do something like that again, you asshole," Jace whispered to him fiercely. Alec's eyes slipped closed and he let his forehead rest against his brother's shoulder, his fingers curling into a loose fist and lightly tapping on Jace's knee in apology. He breathed deeply to try and quell the tide of nausea rising with each bump and turn of the ambulance.

They soon arrived at the hospital and Alec was whisked into a bay in the emergency room, doctors and nurses surrounding him. Jace was forced into the far corner after nearly starting a fistfight with a doctor who told him he could go have a seat in the waiting room, each of them refusing to back down for a few tense moments before the doctor finally relented and told him to stay well out of the way. They pressed another oxygen mask over Alec's face, their voices quiet and soothing as they settled him onto the emergency room bed, dragging wires and IVs and machines over to him. Alec floated in and out of understanding as the mild pain reliever they administered took effect, the world around him blurry and soft as they rolled him onto his side to look at his shoulder, their comments terse and to the point as they surveyed the damage.

"Cut the shirt."

"Small burns all over his arms."

"Those look minor, maybe second degree at most. This, though..."

"This looks rough."

"Definitely needs debriding along the edges at the very least, there's all kinds of stuff caught in here."

"We're going to have to put him under and intubate to clean this out."

"No," Alec croaked, pawing at the oxygen mask. "No sedation, no intubation."

"Son, this will be incredibly painful without it," one of the doctors said frankly. "You've got pieces of your shirt seared to your skin, bits of melted paint, dirt, and soot all caught in the wound. We've got to clean all of that out before we can treat the burn and bandage it all up, not to mention your smoke inhalation."

"Alec, it'll be okay, I'm right here," Jace told him from across the room.

"Magnus -"

"Izzy's with him, I'll keep in contact with her," his brother assured him. "But you'll be no good to him unless you get treated too."

Alec was so tired. His head pounded in time with his heartbeat. His eyes felt like they were swollen and raw, like they'd been scraped open with sandpaper. His stomach rolled violently and a nurse was suddenly at his side with a basin as he vomited into it. His throat felt like it had been shredded into pieces. He fell back onto the bed, his stomach empty and heaving, gasping as another nurse kindly wiped at his face. He nodded weakly, and the doctor quickly grabbed a syringe.

"You won't feel a thing, I promise," she told him softly as she inserted the needle into his IV. "You'll be all patched up when you wake."

Already, Alec felt the drug taking hold. His mind clouded over and his eyes slipped closed as the room bustled around him. His final thought before dropping into unconsciousness was a desperate, silent plea that Magnus was safe.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I just want to preface this by stating that I have zero medical training. I did some research into treatment plans, but I'm also lazy. I'm well aware that realistically, treatment and recovery times would be much longer and intensive than what I've described, but like... artistic license and all that. JUST LET ME LIVE MY MALEC-LOVING LIFE, OKAY?!
> 
> As always, I adore you all to the sun and back. Stay safe and healthy, my pandas. ❤️

Alec woke two days later, and his endotracheal tube was removed the following morning. Every inch of his body ached and his shoulder screamed in pain, his left arm bandaged against his side to immobilize it. His eyes still felt like sandpaper and his throat was scraped raw, but as he took his first deep breath after his intubation, aided by the nasal cannula the doctor fitted to his nose, his chest no longer felt like it was wrapped in cement. 

"Magnus?" he rasped.

"He's... he's okay," Izzy told him tentatively as Dr. Wrayburn stepped away from his bedside. He quickly looked over at her wide-eyed.

"That's not reassuring," he pointed out hoarsely. "Where is he?"

"Alec... he was in the building longer than you, and he got hurt and -"

"Isabelle, _where is he?_"

"He's in the ICU," she whispered. "He's still sedated and intubated." Alec's heart dropped. "The doctors said he's likely got a mild concussion from whatever caused the cut on his forehead and significant smoke inhalation, plus a bunch of minor burns and the cut itself."

"I want to see him," Alec demanded, struggling with his good arm to sit up.

"You're not going anywhere, Mr. Lightwood," the doctor insisted firmly, pressing him back against the bed. "You were just extubated. We've got a battery of tests to run as well as making sure your airway is clear."

"No, I want to see him -"

"I _will_ restrain you if that's what it takes," the doctor said flatly. She stared at Alec as he glared back at her, her eyes softening after a moment. "If all of the tests come back with the results we want, we'll discuss bringing you down to see your friend."

Without another word, she spun on her heel and clicked out of the room. Alec pressed his head back against the pillow, gritting his teeth at the flare of pain in his shoulder. He closed his eyes against the sudden well of emotion, his last memory of Magnus centermost in his mind, bleeding and soot-streaked and barely breathing.

"Alec... Alec, he's going to be okay," Izzy told him quietly, twisting her fingers together. "The doctors told Cat he's getting better. It's just... things are taking longer since his injuries were worse."

"I didn't get him out," Alec whispered, his brow furrowing. "I was supposed to get him out."

"Alec, you saved his life," Izzy asserted. "Ragnor talked with the firefighters that pulled you out, Garroway and Rodriguez. They said you're the only reason why Magnus is still alive. They wouldn't have been able to get up there to find him. The fire was too intense. The building... they have to tear it down. It's completely ruined."

"I gave up, Iz," he confessed, a tear slipping from his tight control. "I couldn't breathe, I couldn't walk, and he was... he was so _hurt_ and so pale and he'd lost so much blood and I just... I just held him and I _waited_ for -" The words came out in a rush, horror racing through him as he spoke. "He wasn't supposed to even be up there, he shouldn't have been up on the third floor, why was he even up there?"

"I don't know, Alec, I don't know, but you both got out, you're both safe," Izzy said, sniffling back tears as she clasped both of her hands around his free one. "He's so strong, and he'll heal because you saved him."

He turned his head away, squeezing his eyes closed and forcing himself to take shuddering breaths as Isabelle pressed a kiss to his scraped knuckles.

* * *

The doctor finally allowed Alec to see Magnus two days later. That morning, one of the nurses helped him step into a pair of sweatpants before walking him down to the ICU two floors below, wheeling along a portable oxygen tank - his doctor's final concession to letting him leave his hospital room. Alec's legs felt wobbly and unsteady, and the nurse hurriedly dragged a chair over to the side of Magnus's bed for him to sit down before leaving them alone with a quick squeeze to Alec's uninjured shoulder. Alec's heart ached as his eyes darted over Magnus's still form. The soft hush of the machines on Magnus's other side, the steady beeps of the monitoring equipment, the faded conversations from the nurses' station across the hall, everything ceased to exist as Alec gazed at his boyfriend.

His vision blurred as he took in the bandage covering the side of Magnus's forehead, the oxygen tube leading into his mouth, the gauze wrapping around Magnus's arms, covering the dozens of minor burns he knew Magnus had incurred. Tears welled in his eyes as he reached out with his good arm, trembling fingers brushing over Magnus's hand. He tightened his grip and lifted Magnus's fingers to his mouth, dropping shaky kisses over the singed fingertips. He pressed the back of Magnus's hand against his cheek.

"I'm so, so sorry, Magnus," he whispered brokenly. "I should have been able to get you out. I gave up. I know it's selfish of me, baby, but I love you and I need you to come back to me. Please come back to me, sweetheart."

He refused to leave Magnus's side that day, even when the doctors and nurses urged him to return to his own room to get some rest. The nurses from his floor were incredible, bringing down his phone and meals so he didn't have to leave Magnus alone. He kept a watchful eye on his boyfriend, cataloguing every breath and minute movement, hoping to see some sign of consciousness. Isabelle and Jace called and checked in on him frequently throughout the day, and Catarina and Ragnor visited around lunchtime, sitting with him for a while as they all held their breath, waiting and praying for a change. The ICU nurses forced him to return to his room late that night, insisting that he get some sleep, instructions he only agreed to follow if he could come back down first thing the following morning. Shortly after the morning rounds, he headed back downstairs, this time accompanied by Isabelle, and settled into his chair, ready for another day of waiting and hoping.

"Your brother's dedication is incredible," he heard one nurse murmur to Izzy in the doorway when she brought in his lunch tray. "How long have they been together?"

"It's kind of amazing, but only two months," Isabelle responded, her voice tight. "They just... they have that fairy tale kind of love, the type that's only in books and movies but never in real life, you know? But they have it. They were just meant to be."

"Do you hear that, you diva?" Alec whispered into Magnus's palm when the door closed behind them. "We're meant to be, babe. I can't be 'meant to be' without you, so I need you to come back to me, okay?" He pressed a kiss against the warm skin and folded Magnus's fingers down, holding the kiss in place.

That evening, Alec found himself in the middle of an argument with Isabelle and two of the nurses about visiting hours, frustrated by the lack of change and stubbornly insisting that, from here on out, he was going to stay at Magnus's side until his boyfriend awoke and 'visiting hours' didn't apply to him - no more going back to his room to rest. The nurses were ridiculously protesting and telling him that visiting hours did, in fact, apply and he needed to go back to his own room to sleep and start to heal, a claim Isabelle was supporting for some unknown reason. Alec's fingers were tightly twisted around Magnus's as he glared over his bad shoulder at the trio. Suddenly, Alec felt Magnus's fingers lightly squeeze back. He spun around, eyes wide, to see Magnus's eyes flutter open and focus on him. The nurses and his sister were instantly forgotten as Alec quickly stood and perched on the side of the bed, tears filling his eyes as he gazed down at his boyfriend. He clutched their entwined hands to his chest.

"Hi, baby," he whispered hoarsely, smiling at him, a tear slipping down his cheek. He ducked his head and pressed a kiss to Magnus's fingers. "Welcome back."

Magnus's gaze was locked onto his face as he pulled one finger free of Alec's death grip, dragging it over Alec's cheek and brushing the stray tear away. Alec immediately felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders at the touch.

"Mr. Lightwood, your sister will help you back upstairs," came the stern voice of the ICU doctor as he strode into the room. Alec glared up at him and opened his mouth to once again protest. "There will be no discussion on this. I'll have security remove you if necessary."

"Alec, they said you can probably come back tomorrow, but they've got to run a bunch of tests right now," Isabelle added quickly.

Alec's mouth snapped shut and he glanced back down at Magnus. He sighed, realizing at last that he wasn't going to get his way, and leaned down, ignoring the painful stretch of his back to press a careful kiss to the uninjured side of Magnus's forehead. Magnus pulled his hand free and wrapped his around the side of Alec's neck, holding him in place for a moment. "I love you," he whispered against Magnus's skin. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a shaky breath when Magnus's thumb brushed back and forth across the corner of his jaw. He pulled away and brushed a strand of hair off Magnus's face. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Isabelle was at his side just then, her hand curling around Alec's elbow to help him up as she blew a watery kiss to Magnus. He gave her a small wink before his gaze returned to Alec, watching as he carefully shuffled towards the door before the nurses and doctors surrounded the bed.

"I told you he was strong," Izzy whispered as they made their way back up to his room.

"Kept me waiting long enough," Alec responded, finally feeling some of the tightness in his chest dripping away. Isabelle chuckled and wrapped her arm around Alec's waist as they stepped into the elevator. She fell silent, uncharacteristically so as the elevator ascended the two floors and they walked the short distance to Alec's room. She waited while he used the bathroom before helping him back into the bed.

"Alec, um... I called Mom and Dad," she finally confessed as she sat down in the chair next to his bed. Alec's head snapped up, his vision swimming for a moment as he glared at his sister.

"You did _what_? Why?! Why would you do that?" he demanded angrily.

"Alec, you nearly died! You ran into a burning building and didn't come out and when you finally did, you were almost unconscious and being carried out by two firefighters," she reminded him. "I know that things aren't great between you and them right now, but they deserved to know that their oldest son was in the hospital."

"I can't believe you called them," Alec muttered, fuming. He scratched at his arm, wincing as the healing burns flared.

"They were terrified, Alec. They still care about you," Isabelle said softly.

"If that were true, they'd be here," he pointed out flatly.

"They're _trying_ to get here. Jace and I have been talking about this and I just spoke with them this morning. Dad had a business trip out in India and they're trying to find a way to Alicante to see you."

"What if I don't want to see them?"

"Alec, come on," Isabelle chided him.

"No, I'm serious. Mom basically told me she didn't want me dating Magnus and that she wanted me to marry a woman just to have kids. Fuck that," Alec insisted bluntly.

"I'm not saying she was right. I'm just saying that I think you should at least hear Dad out, if not Mom," Isabelle told him. "She was in hysterics when I called."

"I'm not promising anything," Alec declared, his jaw stubbornly set as he glanced away.

Isabelle fell silent, tugging on the end of her ponytail as she watched him awkwardly text Cat and Ragnor with one hand. Alec pressed his head back into the pillows as exhaustion swept over him. He'd barely been able to sleep at all over the last few days, his worry for Magnus overwhelming, and it was all crashing down on him now. Izzy reached over and took his phone to plug it in when the night nurse came in to help get him ready for bed.

"Jace will be here in the morning," she told him softly when he was settled back into bed, brushing his hair off his face. "I love you, big brother."

"Love you, Iz," he whispered. She gave a little wave as she closed the door behind her. He was asleep minutes later.

The next morning, he pitched another fit when the nurses refused to let him go see Magnus the second he woke up, instead calmly telling him that he needed to do physical therapy exercises and wait for an assessment from the doctor. Jace had zero sympathy, sitting in the armchair in the corner of the room with his arms crossed and heartlessly telling him to "stop being a little bitch and suck it up."

"Fuck off, asshole," Alec spat out between gritted teeth as the physical therapist ruthlessly forced him through the painful exercises. "One would think with the advances of modern medicine, someone would have figured out a less torturous way to do this."

"The advances of modern medicine have gotten you to this point. Centuries ago, you probably would have been chucked off to the side of the road with a pitiful head-shake and a 'best of luck to you'," Jace said.

"No one said you had to stay here, you know," Alec grumbled, wincing when the therapist prodded at his shoulder.

Jace shrugged. "Someone's gotta babysit you to make sure you don't crawl through the ventilation system to get down to Magnus's room."

"Well, when the fuck can I see him then?"

"Tomorrow, Mr. Lightwood," Dr. Wrayburn told him as she brusquely entered the room and pushed the curtain aside, leaning in to peer at one of the monitors next to his bed, stepping out of the way as the physical therapist slipped past.

"_Tomorrow?!_"

The physician spun and fixed him with a steady glare. "This is a _hospital_, Mr. Lightwood, not a football field, and there are other patients on this floor other than yourself," she informed him. "For their sakes, if not for your own, keep your voice down."

A brief flicker of shame washed over him at her words. Maybe he was being a _bit_ unreasonable. Alec sat down on the edge of the bed as the doctor logged into the computer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell, but why can't I see him today?" he asked, making a conscious effort to lower his voice. The doctor sighed and settled herself onto the stool next to the computer.

"Alec, try and see this from our point of view," she began. "You and Mr. Bane were both rushed to us after nearly dying in a massive fire. You had countless first and second-degree burns on your arms, a nasty third-degree burn on the back of your shoulder for which you may still need another surgery to completely close it up, and significant smoke inhalation causing lack of oxygen to the brain. Mr. Bane also has burns all over his arms, a fairly deep injury on his forehead, a mild concussion from said injury, and even more severe smoke inhalation than you."

"Should you be telling us about Magnus's injuries?" Jace interrupted suddenly. Alec glared at him over his shoulder. "I mean, what happened to patient privacy and that shit?"

"Mr. Bane's healthcare proxy, Ms. Loss, added a note to his medical record so we can legally speak to him about Mr. Bane's medical care," Dr. Wrayburn explained, her gaze flicking back over to Alec. "You both had very serious injuries when you came to us. While I fully understand and support your wanting to be with him and supporting him, it's also my job to take care of you and I can't do that if you won't follow my instructions. Even if you do, you may still have limited use of your shoulder due to your injury." Alec sat up sharply, surprise widening his eyes. He hadn't realized he'd fucked it up that badly. "My goal is to prevent that limitation as much as physically possible, but I can't do that if you don't stop being a bonehead and just freaking work with me. Okay?" she prompted softly, raising her eyebrows at him.

All at once, Alec realized what an asshole he'd been since waking up a few days prior. He'd been so worried about Magnus, he hadn't been able to understand that he'd been hindering his own care. No wonder the hospital staff kept threatening to sic security on him. He nodded silently. The doctor gave him a rare smile.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now, I came in today to tell you that we're moving you to a new room tomorrow -"

"Why is he moving rooms?" Jace demanded, pushing himself to his feet and looming in the center of the room.

"Young man, I have no 'do no harm' obligation to you and I _will_ have you thrown bodily out of here if you don't let me care for my patients," she told him, her hand hovering over the phone next to the computer.

"I was just wondering," he muttered, slinking back to the chair and slouching into it.

"Indeed. You'll be moved to a step-down unit on the floor below tomorrow, room 617, bed A," she told Alec, pointedly ignoring Jace. Her face softened just a fraction as she continued, "And Mr. Bane will be moved as well. Room 617, bed B."

Alec's mouth dropped as he watched the doctor sign out of the computer and stand. "Wait, seriously?" he stammered.

"Yes, seriously," she repeated as she picked up her tablet and walked towards the door. "Clearly, you're incapable of controlling yourself and taking care of yourself, so we're hoping that being closer to Mr. Bane will knock some sense into you and allow you to focus on your own recovery, at least a little bit."

"Thank you," Alec called out, his heart beating a bit faster at the thought that he'd be reunited with Magnus in just twenty-four hours. She gave him a little bow and pulled the curtain closed again.

"I like her," Jace announced abruptly. Alec rolled his eyes and reached for his phone. "What? She gave you a verbal beat-down. That makes her good in my book."

"You got one too, dumbass, or don't you remember the 'bodily thrown out of here' threat?" Alec retorted.

"Exactly. I like her. She doesn't take shit from anyone," Jace explained with a grin.

* * *

The nurses transported Alec the following morning, and his excitement at finally seeing Magnus convinced him to follow every instruction the nurses gave him - he didn't even put up a fuss when they brought in a wheelchair to bring him to his new room. He nearly jumped out of the chair when he was wheeled inside, desperate to see if Magnus had arrived before him.

"He'll be here in about an hour," the nurse told him knowingly as she placed his bag of belongings in the cabinet across from his bed. "It takes a bit longer to discharge someone from the ICU than just moving from one floor to another."

"Is he doing okay?" Alec asked, his fingers tightly gripping the footboard of his bed.

"If he wasn't, he wouldn't be moving from the ICU," she pointed out, tossing him a wry look as she hooked the nasal cannula into place, tucking the tubing over his ears. "Now, your sling is at the top of your bag. Put it on if your shoulder starts to hurt - there's no need to push yourself. And _stop worrying_. He's bouncing back quickly."

"Easier said than done," Alec responded with a shake of his head. "But thank you."

She reached out and gave his uninjured shoulder a comforting squeeze, casting him one final smile before she guided the wheelchair out of the room. He sighed shakily and ran his fingers through his hair. He was alone for the first time since running into the burning arts building, both Isabelle and Jace having presentations in their classes that day. He tugged on the oxygen tubing, testing its length, and pulled it across the room to sit in the chair angled in the corner. He wanted the perfect view to see Magnus the second he entered the room.

Alec's mind kept flashing back to the moment when he saw Magnus in the arts building, soot-streaked and covered in blood, and his chest wrenched. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, his shoulder twisting painfully, free of the sling for the first time, as he tried to push away the devastating memories. Logically, he knew Magnus was completely fine, safe and on his way back to health - he'd seen him awake in the ICU, after all. For whatever reason, his mind refused to acknowledge that fact, latching onto that heart-stopping terror when he feared he'd lost Magnus forever.

He huddled in the chair in unmoving silence, his palms pressed into his eyes until fireworks of color burst behind his eyelids. Suddenly, the squeak of a wheel drew his attention and he sat straight up with a sharp inhale. He blinked a few times to wipe away the lingering sparks in front of his eyes, his vision clearing just as the curtain in front of the door was pushed aside and Magnus was wheeled in.

The world froze. Alec's gaze skittered over his boyfriend, taking in the bandages on his arm and forehead, smaller and less prominent than the last time he'd seen him. Magnus's eyes were locked on Alec, clear and wide and reaching out to him. He was there, real and whole and mending, and Alec's chest split open. In one swift movement, he stood, yanking the cannula from its place and throwing it who fucking knew where behind him, crossing the room in three long strides and opening his arms just as Magnus leapt out of the wheelchair, ignoring the protests of the nurse pushing him, and hurled himself into Alec's embrace.

"You fucker. You absolute asshole," Alec gasped against Magnus's temple, his breath coming in short wheezes as his arms tightened around Magnus's back. He didn't even care that his shoulder felt like it was on fire again, he didn't care that the healing burns on his arms pulled in their bandages, he didn't care that the nurses were going to be pissed at him - all he cared about was his boyfriend, alive and awake and safe in his arms. "Don't you _ever_ fucking do something like that again."

"I could say the same to you, darling," Magnus whispered, his face tucked into Alec's neck. His fingers dug into Alec's back, pressing and releasing and pressing again, as though he couldn't believe Alec was there. "You ran into a building that had just fucking _exploded_."

"Yeah, to find _you_," Alec pointed out with a sniffling laugh. "You're not allowed to get hurt ever again."

"I'll keep that in mind," Magnus teased. He pulled back enough to look up at Alec for a half-second before he leaned in and stole Alec's soul in a kiss that wrapped itself around Alec's heart. Alec curled his hand around the back of Magnus's neck and held him tight, kissing him until they were both breathless. Ironically, it wasn't until then that he finally felt like he could breathe again and he never wanted to let his boyfriend go.

"_Gentlemen._"

At least until reality intruded, of course. They broke apart and glanced at the pair of nurses glaring at them from the doorway. "Uh... sorry?" Alec offered lamely. One of the nurses rolled her eyes and stepped into the room.

"You -" She pointed at Alec. "- need to stay on oxygen, as do you," she added, jabbing a finger towards Magnus. "Nasal cannulas, both of you. You -" Another finger pointed at Alec. "- need to not strain your shoulder, otherwise you're going to damage it permanently. And you -" To Magnus this time. "- were just released from the ICU and are still experiencing concussion symptoms and shouldn't be pushing yourself, like _jumping out of a wheelchair._"

For the first time, Alec was suddenly conscious of the light tremble of Magnus's fingers against his back and the way he swayed ever so slightly into Alec's side. The nurse shooed Alec away from Magnus, the separation almost painful as he stepped away, watching as she guided Magnus towards the bed furthest from the door and gently pushed him down to lay back against the pillows. As the other nurse placed Magnus's belongings in the cabinet for his bed, her colleague hooked Magnus's cannula into place and switched the oxygen on, turning to glare at Alec until he spun and recovered his own cannula from where he'd thrown it, caught haphazardly over the arm of the chair. He made a show of sliding it back into place and sat down on the little wheeled stool at the desk in the middle of the wall opposite their beds, looking up at the nurse patiently. 

"The two of you are going to be extraordinarily difficult, aren't you?" she muttered, shaking her head.

"Hey, he's the stubborn one," Alec said just as Magnus told her, "Not me, but he's a handful." She rolled her eyes and groaned as the other nurse prudently slipped out with the wheelchair.

"Look, I've got to finish some of the transfer paperwork and review Dr. Wrayburn's orders. I'll leave the two of you to catch up, but for the love of God, if I catch you guys in any compromising positions, I'll have security separate you and put you at opposite ends of the hospital for the duration of your admissions. Got it?" she asked, one eyebrow raised expectantly.

Suitably chastised and somewhat embarrassed, both Alec and Magnus murmured their assent before the nurse spun on her heels and strode out of the room, pulling closed the privacy curtain across the doorway as she left. Alec held his breath for a moment before his gaze drifted back to Magnus and he released it in a long exhale.

"What?" his boyfriend prompted, twisting slightly in his bed to face him. Alec shook his head slightly and shrugged his shoulder. "Alexander. Come on, love, what's wrong?"

"It's just... you really scared me," he admitted in an uncharacteristically tiny voice, staring down at his fingers tangled together in his lap. Magnus sighed shakily, a broken little noise that tugged at Alec's heart. "You weren't supposed to be up there," he continued, the tightness in his throat that had lingered since the explosion creeping back. "Why didn't you just leave when it started?"

"I never would have forgiven myself if someone got trapped and I could have helped, Alec, you know that," Magnus told him softly. Alec did know that, but he couldn't help it if he wanted Magnus to be selfish for once in his life. "By the time I made sure the wings were cleared, the fire had grown too much to get out safely. I went up to the third floor to try and get around it and out on the opposite side of the building, but part of a doorframe fell and hit me in just the right way and knocked me out. I don't think I was out more than a few minutes, but that was enough time for the fire to get really bad and everything was spinning and blurry, and I just... tried to get away from it all until I couldn't anymore. And then you found me," he finished, his head tilted to one side as he watched Alec closely.

"You can't do that again, Magnus," Alec whispered. His boyfriend's lips quirked at the corners and he held one hand out to Alec.

"I don't exactly intend on making it a habit of being caught in burning buildings, darling," he commented wryly as Alec scooted over to Magnus's side and laced their fingers together.

"Magnus, I'm serious," Alec insisted, pressing his lips to their entwined fingers. "That was the worst moment of my entire life, not knowing if you were safe or hurt somewhere or... or even _alive_ and -"

"Alexander, I'm fine -"

"But I didn't know that!" Alec protested. "And you might not have been, and I just..." He broke off with a frustrated sigh, pulling his fingers out of Magnus's grip. He felt like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff and, in the next breath, hurled himself out into the open air. "Magnus, I don't think I can live without you," he stated simply, glancing up at the senior.

Magnus's eyes widened and he sat up. "Alec, I... I love you, so much - I didn't actually think it was possible to love someone this much, but I don't ever want you to feel like you're... I don't know, like you're stuck with me or anything." Alec's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the thought that he could ever just feel _stuck_ with Magnus. "I know I'm your first relationship and it's -"

"No," Alec cut him off, shaking his head. He stood abruptly and backed away a few steps, trying to piece together a coherent thought as buzzing filled his ears. "No, fuck that, do _not_ try and tell me this is just a passing thing, that I'm only feeling like this because you're the first guy I've dated."

"Alec -"

"I spent most of my life feeling like I couldn't ever be myself, like no one would ever accept me for me, and I'd made my peace with that. And then you came along and you changed... _everything_, and I just feel like I'm whole with you. Like I'm - I'm complete or whatever clichéd bullshit, but it's fucking true. So please, _please_, don't tell me that I feel this strongly just because I haven't fucked a bunch of guys and I'll change my mind at some point, because I seriously don't ever see a time when that could possibly happen," he burst out, his heart racing as he stared angrily down at Magnus. The senior gazed back up at him from the hospital bed, twisting a bit of the sheets between his fingers.

"Alec... I don't want you to leave, I hope you know that," he admitted finally, his voice quiet in their room. "Now that I've met you, I feel like I've finally begun to really live. It's cheesy, like my life was in black and white before but now everything's in color. I've never believed in soulmates before, but you make me feel like they're real. Like I've found mine. And I don't want to lose you. But at the same time, if you ever fell out of love with me -"

"Don't be fucking stupid," Alec grumbled.

"If you _did_," Magnus pressed on, "I wouldn't want you to stay with me out of obligation. I'd want you to be able to live your life however and with whomever you want."

"Duly noted," Alec said shortly. He crossed his arms and bit back a wince as the pain in his shoulder flared once more. He desperately wanted this conversation to end, the very thought of a day without Magnus in his life enough to give him heart palpitations. 

"You realize what a ridiculous conversation this is, right? Arguing about loving each other?" Magnus prompted, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

Alec did. "You started it," he muttered. Magnus watched him for a moment before holding out his hand again.

"Will you come back over here?"

As if Alec could ever resist that request. He shuffled back over to the little stool and sat down by Magnus's bedside, rubbing the heel of his palm over his upper chest. Magnus's hand came up, ghosting gently over the front of Alec's injured shoulder. "How is it feeling?" he asked softly, his fingers brushing over Alec's cheek.

"Hurts a bit," Alec muttered ruefully.

"Should you put the sling back on?"

He sighed heavily. "Yeah, probably." He reluctantly pulled away from his boyfriend and walked over to the cabinet with his belongings, tugging the sling out of the top of the bag and hooking it over his head. He carefully worked his arm into place, sucking in a hissing breath when he twisted his shoulder in just the wrong way. Magnus watched him for a moment, a tiny furrow of concern between his brows. "Don't give me that look."

"You're hurt, Alexander, quite badly."

"So are you," Alec retorted. Magnus gave him a crooked little smile.

"What a pair we are, darling," his boyfriend murmured, his eyes warm as Alec finally settled into the sling and walked back over to sit on the edge of Magnus's bed. He huffed out a laugh and groaned as he dug his fingers into his temple. Magnus slid his fingers into Alec's hair and tugged him closer with the tiniest pressure of his fingertips. Alec leaned into him, his free hand curling around Magnus's hip as Magnus pressed their foreheads together. He took a deep breath, his soul calming at his boyfriend's touch.

"I love you," he whispered.

"My Alexander," Magnus murmured, his thumb brushing over Alec's jawline. "You're my world, my love."

The words came to Alec in a bittersweet sweep of memory and his only option was to lean in and pour his every emotion into a heart-stoppingly sweet kiss. Magnus hummed against his lips, his nails scratching at the nape of Alec's neck as he pulled back. Alec wasn't ready to break their contact and he slid off the bed and onto the stool, angling himself in such a way that he could drop his head onto Magnus's thighs, sighing as the senior's fingers carded through his hair.

"I could fall asleep right here," he mumbled into the firm muscle.

"Tired?"

"Exhausted. _Someone_ had me worried sick," he said pointedly.

"Can't imagine who that was," Magnus commented airily, his free hand sweeping over Alec's arm still curled around his waist. "Take a nap, darling. I'll wake you if the nurses or doctors need you or me for anything."

As though they were the magic words, sleep stole over Alec's mind and a sense of safety wrapped around his limbs. He quickly drifted off, his subconscious finally accepting that they were both safe and on the road to perfect health once more.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all. I hope you're all staying safe and healthy and strong.
> 
> The world has gone batshit crazy and this is our time to take a stand and enact some change. I'd previously told myself I'd do my best to post weekly. I considered not posting anything today to not take attention away from where it needs to be; however, I realize that some - like myself - may need a break from the overwhelming events currently dominating every moment of the day. Given that, I hope my writing might be that break for you and might energize you enough to get back out there and kick the world's ass into gear.
> 
> Please visit [this site](https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co) to see how you can help. Every single one of us is important to this, no matter what part we may play. 
> 
> Again, I love you all. Stay healthy. Stay safe. Be strong. Be kind to one another.
> 
> #blacklivesmatter

It could have been five minutes, an hour, or a year since Alec had fallen asleep on Magnus's lap, his boyfriend's fingers slipping gently through his hair; however long it had been, it was the best sleep he'd gotten since being extubated. He groggily awoke, pressing his face into the older boy's stomach when he felt Magnus's grip on him tighten. He inhaled deeply, the senior's signature sandalwood scent faint and laced with acrid hospital disinfectant. Magnus's hand curved around the back of Alec's neck.

"What are you doing here," he demanded flatly. Alec frowned and pressed his fingers into Magnus's hip where his uninjured arm was still wrapped around his boyfriend's waist. Magnus's free hand tightened around Alec's arm, holding him in place.

"I... Alec is our son. We have every right to be here."

Alec instantly froze in Magnus's arms at the sound of his mother's voice. Isabelle had mentioned the other day that she'd told their parents about the fire and Alec's hospitalization, but he hadn't thought about them since then.

"You made it very clear that you wanted nothing to do with Alec when he refused to follow your expectations," Magnus retorted icily.

"I was angry -"

"Because he was living his own life, a life that didn't follow your rules," Magnus interrupted. "You turned your back on him."

"We all say things we don't mean sometimes when we're upset." Alec struggled to breathe as his father spoke, ever the mediator.

"I still love him!" Maryse protested. "He is my son, my first-born - I could never cut him out of my life!"

"Yet you did on that day. You have _no_ idea what you put him through when you walked away from him." Magnus's hand slid up to cup the back of Alec's head, fingers sliding protectively through tangled locks. "I think you should go, both of you."

"You can't keep us from him forever," Maryse insisted, unshed tears hanging heavy in her voice.

"I _love_ your son, more than life itself, and I will do whatever is in my power to keep him safe," Magnus told her furiously. "If that means keeping you away until he decides he's ready to see you, then I will happily take on that role. But last I heard, he did not want to see you. So you need to leave."

"Please -"

"_Now._"

Alec listened to his mother stifle a sob before two sets of footsteps left the room, the door swinging shut with a soft _click_ behind them. He slowly disentangled himself from Magnus's iron grip and sat up. A muscle in Magnus's jaw clenched as he glared at the door as though his gaze alone could chase after Maryse and Robert. Alec reached out and brushed his fingers over his boyfriend's.

"I'm sorry," Magnus said finally, his voice barely audible. Alec frowned.

"For what?"

"For talking to your parents like that." He refused to look at Alec, still staring steadfastly at the door.

"Magnus -"

"For not letting them stay." The senior's voice was hushed, a hint of hoarseness reminding Alec of their shared injuries.

Alec's heart cracked just a tiny bit and he tugged on his boyfriend's hand. "Hey -"

"For taking the decision away from you," the senior whispered, his gaze dropping to their hands.

"Baby, come on, don't..." Alec clambered up onto the bed and curled up against Magnus's side, his injured arm tucked between them. His free hand dug into the fabric of Magnus's hospital gown as Magnus's arms encircled him. "Don't do this to yourself. There's nothing to apologize for."

"I should have let you -" Magnus's fingers tightened against Alec's back. "I don't want you to think I'm trying to take you away from your family."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Alec demanded, twisting in Magnus's arms to meet him eye to eye. "I would never think that. You've never once complained about spending time with Jace or Izzy. Hell, half the time, it's _your_ idea to hang out with them!"

"But your parents -"

"Said some seriously shitty things the last time we saw them," Alec reminded him softly. "And neither of them has even attempted to reach out to me since then. You did nothing wrong here."

Magnus fell silent, one hand slipping up Alec's back to drift through his hair. Alec leaned in and pressed his forehead against Magnus's cheek.

"I kinda love you, you know that?" he murmured, his chin resting on his boyfriend's shoulder. Magnus chuckled quietly and turned to press a kiss to Alec's forehead.

"I kinda love you, too." Alec smiled at the words whispered against his skin, soft and secret, even though they were anything but. He lifted his head, brushing his nose against his boyfriend's.

"What happened to 'more than life itself'?" he asked teasingly. Magnus tugged on a lock of hair.

"I try to save that for the overprotective occasions," he responded wryly.

Alec grinned and leaned in to steal a kiss. He felt completely ridiculous and slightly uncomfortable huddled on the bed as he was, long legs bent and tangled over Magnus's, but he'd stay pressed against his boyfriend as long as Magnus would let him. Magnus shifted onto his side and laid back, the head of the bed propped up, and pulled Alec with him, both of them resting on the same pillow. Alec let his eyes slip shut when Magnus's fingers drifted over his cheekbone, still raw and sensitive from one of the burns.

"What are you going to do about your parents?" Magnus asked after a few minutes. Alec sighed.

"I don't know. Izzy said the other day that they were upset when she told them what happened," he said, tracing an abstract pattern onto the front of Magnus's hospital gown with one fingertip.

"Your mother certainly seemed upset today." A pinpoint of bitterness crept into Magnus's voice and Alec reached up to poke his nose.

"Stop that. I told you that you did nothing wrong," he repeated, glaring at his boyfriend, a bit cross-eyed at such close proximity.

"I was just saying -"

"You were going to beat yourself up again, babe, I could see it," Alec pointed out flatly. Magnus suddenly smiled at him, a bright and bashful thing.

"I like that," he confessed softly.

"What?"

"The names."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm." Magnus pressed his forehead against Alec's and sighed. "I remember you using them when you found me and I just _knew_ I was going to be okay and we were going to make it out. They just... I don't know, it's probably stupid, but they make me feel like I'm yours. Like I'm safe."

"That's because you are, you dork," Alec pointed out with a grin. Magnus pulled back to glare at him, and Alec reached up to trace his fingers along the line of his boyfriend's lips. "Just like I'm yours."

Magnus's arms tightened around and they both settled back against the pillow, Alec's fingertips lightly brushing over the senior's skin.

"I'm going to support you no matter what you decide to do about your parents, you know that, right?" Magnus asked.

"Of course I do. And I love you for that." Alec's hand curled over Magnus's neck, the beat of his pulse faint against his skin. "I think I'm going to have to see them, for Izzy's sake, if nothing else."

"I'll be right by your side. Unless, of course, you'd rather see them alone -"

"I wouldn't want you anywhere else _but_ by my side," Alec insisted quickly. "You're a part of my life now, and they need to see that."

"Whenever you want to meet with them, then, and I'll be right there," his boyfriend promised.

* * *

They settled on letting Alec's parents return two days later. Isabelle and Jace both arrived at the hospital mid-morning, shortly after Alec finished up physical therapy for the day. Izzy blessedly brought coffee for Alec and tea for Magnus.

"You're an angel," Magnus told her seriously as he walked out of the bathroom, dressed in joggers and one of Alec's long-sleeved AU Football shirts, and accepted the paper cup. "Hopefully this will help that one be less grumpy," he added, gesturing in Alec's direction before taking a sip. Alec stuck his tongue out at him from across the room.

"Alec? Grumpy? I can't imagine a world where that would be the case," Jace commented, hopping up onto the end of Alec's bed.

"You'd be grumpy too if you had to do that shit," Alec grumbled, carefully sliding his arm into the sleeve of a zip-up sweatshirt, letting it hang open over his sweatpants. He took the cup from Izzy and gave her a one-armed hug.

"How are you both feeling?" she asked, perching on the bed next to Jace.

Alec crossed the room as Magnus disappeared back into the bathroom. "Fine, I guess," he said, shrugging his shoulder. He settled down onto Magnus's bed facing them. "Everything's still kind of stinging and achy, but it's getting better."

"What about your shoulder?" Jace prompted.

Alec grimaced, setting his coffee down on the bedside table. "It's okay. It still hurts like a bitch, but I've got a little more movement in it today than yesterday, so... I dunno, tentatively optimistic, I guess?" He lifted his arm, giving a slow rotation and doing his best to keep his winces to a bare minimum as Magnus exited the bathroom, his eyes lined in what Alec liked to call his "fight me" black eyeliner, sharp as a knife at the corners.

"Alexander, where's your sling?" the senior demanded. Alec glared up at him as he zipped his sweatshirt.

"I don't need it."

"Bullshit. The physical therapist specifically said for you to put it back on after you showered," Magnus countered flatly, placing his tea down next to Alec's. "You've showered. Put the damn sling back on."

"I don't like wearing it -"

"I don't particularly care what you do or don't like, you're going to put the fucking sling back on," Magnus insisted, pointing at the detested object on the table in the corner of the room.

"Mr. Bane is entirely correct, Mr. Lightwood, and you know it," Dr. Wrayburn announced as she walked crisply into the room. "And both of you are still on oxygen therapy, so get the cannulas back in place." She gave a quick nod to Jace and Izzy before turning to face Alec. "Now... your parents are here to see you." Alec clenched his teeth. They'd explained the situation to the no-nonsense doctor the day before. "As we discussed, click the call button three times if you'd like intervention at any point. Your nurse is aware."

"Thank you." She cast him a brief smile before turning on her heel and walking out of the room. Alec grimaced when Magnus immediately approached with the sling.

"Don't give me that shit," Magnus told him ruthlessly. "You're wearing it. Here."

"Fine, fine, give me the damn thing," Alec retorted exasperatedly, grumbling under his breath about pushy boyfriends until Magnus viciously flicked his ear. "Brat."

"Shut up. Arm in." Alec winced sliding his arm into the sling, hissing when a flare of discomfort shot through his shoulder. Movement in the doorway caught his eye and he tensed as he caught his mother's gaze. Magnus noticed instantly and his movements stilled on the strap of the sling.

"Alec...?" Maryse's voice was tiny and hesitant.

"Just a minute," Alec said, desperately thankful that his voice was steady and not the quivering disaster he felt like he was inside. He looked up at Magnus, taking a deep breath as the senior brushed a finger over his cheekbone before easing the strap over Alec's head and into place. "Thanks, love," he murmured, his heart warming at the quick smile that skated across his boyfriend's face. He picked up Magnus's cannula and handed it to him before he slid his own over his ears, watching as Magnus quickly fit the tubing into place before settling onto the bed, one leg tucked beneath him, his chest pressed to Alec's side. The hand angled behind Alec slid across his lower back before curling around his hip. Alec leaned into Magnus's embrace and caught his other hand in his own, lacing his fingers together. His boyfriend's touch calmed and strengthened him, and God only knew he was going to need that before all of this was over.

He took a deep breath and finally looked back up at his parents, his mouth dry as his mind raced. "Mom, Dad."

"Alec, how... you're... I'm so glad you're okay," Maryse whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she clutched at Robert's hand. "I was so scared when Isabelle called. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. _We're_ fine," Alec emphasized, squeezing Magnus's fingers. "Getting better every day."

"The hospital didn't call us when you were admitted," Robert ventured carefully.

"I listed myself as his emergency contact," Jace interjected. "You guys weren't speaking. They needed a name."

"We're your parents, it should have been us listed," Maryse insisted tearfully. "Alec, we love you -"

"That's not what you said a month ago," Alec reminded her coldly. Magnus's knee pressed into his back.

"What we can't wrap our heads around," Robert began, giving his wife a _look_, "is just _why_ you would run into a burning building. You've never been reckless like that before."

"Magnus was trapped on the third floor of the building," Alec explained, anger at his parents' narrow-mindedness heating his blood. "I'd be reckless like that and even more a hundred times over if it meant getting him out."

"I'd prefer you not be reckless at all and we both just stay out of burning buildings, darling," Magnus murmured softly. Alec threw him a wry glare.

"Magnus?" Robert prompted, his gaze flicking between the two of them. Maryse's lips were pressed into a tight line.

"Oh, right, I forgot. You didn't exactly give me an opportunity to actually introduce you the last time you met," Alec commented, a hint of sarcasm entering his voice. He threw all caution to the wind with his next words. "Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Magnus Bane, who I am completely and entirely head over heels in love with. Magnus, these are my parents, Robert and Maryse Lightwood."

"Head over heels, hmm?" Magnus repeated, dismissing the introduction to smile warmly at Alec.

"Oh, like you didn't already know that."

"Still. It's always nice to hear," the senior teased, and Alec couldn't help but lean in to press a quick kiss to his waiting lips, ignoring his mother's sharp inhale. Magnus's hand swept up Alec's back as he turned towards Alec's parents. "I've heard quite a bit about you both from all three of your children."

"Have you," Maryse said faintly. It was clear from her tone that it wasn't a question. "I wish I could say the same. None of my children have seen fit to mention you."

"I do believe that was by design," Magnus responded lightly, smiling blithely up at her.

"I didn't want you to know about him at first," Alec interjected quickly as his mother opened her mouth. "I was afraid of how you'd react, and I didn't want to risk losing him because of you."

"Alec -"

"But he's supported me like you never have," Alec continued over his father's protest, staring straight at his mother. "He didn't care what I did or didn't accomplish or how something I did would make him look or what would happen if I messed up. He did nothing but encourage me to do what makes me happy. I finally felt like I was _free_."

"How did you two meet?" Robert interrupted.

"We have class together, and we were partnered up at the beginning of the semester."

"So you've known each other for all of, what, two months? Three? And you're convinced that he's more important than your own family?" Maryse demanded, bright spots of color high on her cheeks.

"I've felt more supported in those three months than I have in the last twenty years," Alec retorted.

"Magnus is good for Alec," Isabelle piped up suddenly. Their parents spun to stare at her and Jace, nodding fervently, on the other bed. "I've never seen him this happy or relaxed or excited before in my life. You've both commented, to me and Jace at least, on how much better Alec has been playing at all of the football games and how focused he seems to be when you ask about his classes. That's all because of Magnus."

"But -"

"I just don't understand why you both can't be happy for me that I've found someone incredible," Alec whispered, trying and failing to keep the immense well of pain at his parents' reactions out of his voice. Magnus's hand curled around his side, his fingers digging in and centering Alec.

"It's not that we're not happy for you -" his father began.

"But you're so _young_," Maryse said. "You have your whole life ahead of you and how... how do you know that this is what you'll want? What if you want children? A family?"

"That's a discussion for Alec and I to have together - and _privately_ \- but if that's a decision we make, then we have surrogacy and adoption as entirely valid options," Magnus responded, an edge of steel coloring his tone. Alec's heart nearly burst at the thought of a future with the older boy, spending their lives together, possibly with a bunch of kids running around underfoot. He squeezed Magnus's hand until his boyfriend turned to look at him, his gaze softening the instant he met Alec's eyes.

"I love you _so_ much," Alec breathed, his voice barely audible. Magnus reached up and brushed a few strands of hair out of Alec's eyes, his fingers drifting over Alec's temple.

"I hate to break it to you, my darling, but I'm afraid you're stuck with me for quite some time," Magnus murmured, his eyes warm as they stared into Alec's soul.

Maryse cleared her throat uncomfortably, dragging their attention back to her.

"You're free to go any time if me being myself is offending your senses at any point," Alec snapped.

"Alec," Isabelle chided. Alec ignored her.

"Alec, we do want you to be happy," Maryse protested. "And if... _this_ -"

"_Magnus_," Alec insisted.

"- _Magnus_... makes you happy, then that's... all a mother ever wants for her children is to be happy and healthy and successful," she whispered, tearing up again. "How could I ever want anything else? But it's just... _this_ is... it's an adjustment."

"I suggest you figure out how to _adjust_ to it if you want to be in my life at all," Alec retorted. "Because I'm sorry if it's a disappointment, but this is me. And I don't intend on hiding or changing who I am to suit you."

A tear streaked down Maryse's cheek and she quickly pressed her lips tightly together. Robert reached out and placed a hand on her back. "We _are_ happy for you, Alec," he said quietly. "And we're incredibly glad that you're okay - that you're _both_ okay. That's more important than anything." He calmly met Alec's gaze for a moment before shifting to look over at Magnus. "And Magnus... anyone who is important enough to my son to run into a burning building is important to me, so we look forward to getting to know you better." Maryse gave them a weak, watery smile as Robert nodded solemnly.

"I'd like that very much," Magnus told him steadily. "As I said the other day, I love your son. I don't plan on going anywhere."

Robert smiled briefly, a small thing skating across his face before he turned to Maryse. "We should get going and let them get some rest," he told her. She brushed away a tear and nodded quickly. "Take care of yourselves, and each other," Robert said, looking back at Alec and Magnus, still tangled together on the bed. Maryse ducked her head, her hand covering her mouth as Robert guided her out of the room.

Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, and Jace all silently listened to their footsteps retreating down the hall, fading away as they walked towards the exit, before Alec melted against Magnus and Jace blew out an explosive breath.

"Well... that could have gone worse," he proclaimed brightly. "Good job, guys!"

"Did you _expect_ it to go worse?" Izzy demanded.

"Kind of, yeah." Jace shrugged.

"What did you think was going to happen?" Magnus asked, amused, as his hand brushed comfortingly over Alec's back.

"I have no idea, but I was kind of hoping you'd start yelling at them."

"_Magnus_ yell at them?" Alec repeated disbelievingly.

"Nonsense, I'd never yell at them," Magnus dismissed.

Jace fixed him with a skeptical look. "Never?"

"Yell? Never, I'm above all that," the senior confirmed. "Tell them exactly what I think of them and how they've treated Alec thus far in his life in a firm, commanding, authoritative tone? Abso-fucking-lutely."

"Firm, commanding, and authoritative?" Jace prompted, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Now we know -"

"I swear to fucking God, I'm _not_ above yelling at you if you say another word," Alec snapped, blushing furiously. Izzy hid her face in her hands as Jace grinned, winking at Alec as he stood.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving after all that," he announced. "Who's up for Chinese?"

"Ooh! I want sesame chicken!" Izzy bounced up from the bed and grabbed her purse. She and Jace both waved over their shoulders as they hurried for the door, Isabelle still rattling off all of the dishes she wanted. Alec curled into Magnus's arms, his head resting on his boyfriend's shoulder, their fingers still tangled together as Magnus's other hand settled onto Alec's hip. Their breathing settled, the sharp staccato of Alec's lungs finally calming in the long minutes after his siblings left. He closed his eyes, pressing his face into Magnus's neck.

"Thank you," Alec finally whispered, breaking the comfortable silence.

"For what, darling?"

"Just... everything." Alec stared down at their hands, his thumb brushing back and forth over Magnus's, his gaze focused on the chipped glittery polish on the nails. "Do you... do you like kids?"

Magnus's voice was teasing as he responded, "Well, if I didn't, I wouldn't have spent all of that time at Charlotte's, now, would I?"

"Well, yeah, but..." Alec's tongue felt like it was twisted into knots. "It's different just visiting them."

"But actually having some of your own?" Magnus prompted softly. Alec hesitated for a moment before pulling away and looking up at him. Magnus lifted their entwined hands and pressed a kiss over Alec's fingers. "You're going to be an incredible dad one day, Alexander."

A lump settled into Alec's throat and he ducked his head, blinking furiously to stave off the sudden tears. He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend, the world slowing to a stop around them as Magnus's hand left Alec's hip to curve around his jaw.

"It's kind of terrifying," Alec admitted softly when they finally broke apart long moments later.

"What is?"

Alec rested his forehead against Magnus's, his boyfriend's fingers sifting through his hair. "I fall more and more in love with you every day, and it's kind of terrifying how I'm not at all terrified about that," he whispered hoarsely. He paused and pulled away abruptly, scrunching up his nose. "That didn't make sense."

"It made perfect sense," Magnus told him, "because I can perfectly relate." Alec didn't even bother trying to hide his smile as he leaned in once more.

"Are you guys being sappy? Knock it off."

"Huh. You're back already," Magnus mused, dragging his hand down Alec's back as Jace and Isabelle walked back into the room, each laden with a bag of takeout. "That's too bad. Alec and I were just about to have enthusiastic sex against the wall, way to ruin the mood."

Alec's cheeks instantly burst into flame as Jace's mouth dropped open. He stared disbelievingly at him while Isabelle laughed hysterically behind him. Magnus winked. Jace's eyes flicked over to Alec.

"Were you -"

"_No!_"

"Well, not anymore, anyway," Magnus added, his eyes twinkling as Jace gaped at them.

"Oh, my God," Alec grumbled. He reluctantly pulled his hand free of Magnus's grip and pointed at one of the wheeled tray tables. "Hurry up and get the food out and let's eat."

"I did not expect that response," Jace murmured faintly, his eyes still wide as he opened up the bag and began unloading food.

Alec glared at Magnus and shook his head before he wiped the Cheshire Cat grin off his face with a hard kiss. No matter what life threw at them next, at least it would never be boring.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a ride it's been to get here, y'all. I've had a major creative drought over the last few weeks/months and this chapter was a struggle to get written.
> 
> HOWEVER. Here we are. Emotions. Feels. On everyone's side, including mine. I hope you enjoy. I love you all. <3
> 
> ALSO. In lighter news. I finally set up the Twitter account I created almost a year ago for my fics - @quill_and_ink0. Do y'all Twitter? Have any desire whatsoever to chat with me about all of these words I've flung out into the universe? Literally nothing would make me happier than to chat Malec/Shadowhunters with y'all. <333
> 
> <s>Don't ask me to get on Tumblr, the absolute last thing in the world that I need is more distractions from writing and I have a feeling that place would be a black hole.</s>

Alec and Magnus were finally released from the hospital five days later - two full weeks after the explosion - with strict instructions from Dr. Wrayburn to not overexert themselves and, for Alec, to continue his physical therapy. She was tentatively hopeful that his shoulder was healing well enough to avoid additional surgery, but he was scheduled for weekly appointments with her to check on how things were progressing. Isabelle and Jace arrived at the hospital just as Dr. Wrayburn was finishing going over the discharge paperwork with Alec and Magnus, laden with coffee, tea, and donuts.

"Alec, we're sending you home with plenty of bandages and a few spare slings," she told him, rolling her eyes as he grimaced. "We may have released you from wearing it full-time, but there are still going to be times where it hurts more than others. Do _not_ attempt to just 'push through the pain' - that will just set you back and make surgery more likely. No heavy lifting, no exhaustive working out, walking or very, _very_ light jogging if you absolutely must do something, but otherwise, nothing other than the prescribed physical therapy. No exceptions."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Magnus promised. Alec gave him a sidelong glare.

"I'm capable of following instructions, you know."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Dr. Wrayburn responded dryly. "We're also giving you both prescriptions for inhalers. We've taken you off oxygen therapy, but you may still experience moments of shortness of breath, so just in case. Magnus, likewise, you're still recovering from a concussion. No intensive workouts, no heavy lifting, light yoga is fine as long as you're not bending over or anything. Walking or a light jog is also fine."

"No downward-dog. Got it."

She flipped the pages of the discharge paperwork closed. "I truly am pleased with how both of you are recovering from all of this. It helps that you're both young and otherwise healthy, but you really are bouncing back fairly quickly. Let's keep that upward trajectory, yes?"

"That's the plan," Alec said honestly.

"We'll supervise, don't worry," Isabelle interjected.

"They'll both need it, I have no doubt," Dr. Wrayburn commented with a smile as she stood.

"We also brought donuts for the nurses," Jace added, offering the boxes. "We know these two are a pain in the ass -"

"Hey!"

"- so we figured it was the least we could do."

"Donuts are always appreciated, definitely, but I have to say, once this one," she said, nodding at Alec, "stopped being an idiot and started working with us, they weren't all that terrible to deal with. We've certainly had more difficult patients, that's for sure."

"Still, you guys deserve all the thanks for taking care of them," Jace insisted, handing the physician the boxes of donuts. "We kind of like having them around in one piece."

"Thanks, asshole," Alec grumbled.

"Well, we're kind of glad we were able to keep them in one piece," the doctor teased, "but thank you. I'll get out of your hair so you can get packed up, but one of the nurses will be in shortly to get you both officially discharged and out of here."

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Wrayburn," Magnus called out as she turned to leave.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Alec announced the second the door closed behind the physician.

"Sit down, big brother," Isabelle instructed, pushing at his chest until he settled back onto the bed next to Magnus.

"What are you -"

"_Sit._"

"I _am_ sitting!" he retorted, leaning into his boyfriend's touch as Magnus brushed a hand across his back.

"Just chill for like... ten minutes and Jace and I will get you guys packed up," she insisted as Jace opened up the cabinets and started taking Alec's clothes off the shelves.

"I don't want to chill, I just want to get out of here."

"You're being unreasonable. Magnus, he's all yours," she said dismissively, striding over to the cabinets with Magnus's belongings.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Magnus commented, smirking.

"Hey -"

"Darling, just sit here with me, okay? Let Jace and Isabelle get our things together and then we can all get out of here," Magnus told him, threading their fingers together.

"I could have helped," Alec grumbled.

"You can help by keeping me company," his boyfriend informed him, giving him a blithe smile when Alec glared at him.

"You're not funny," Alec muttered. Magnus grinned at him and carded his fingers through Alec's hair, curling around the side of his neck and tugging him close to press a kiss to his temple.

"Have you talked to Maryse and Robert since they were here?" Jace asked, unceremoniously shoving Alec's clothes into a duffel bag.

"Not really," Alec responded, sighing. "Dad's sent a few texts to check in. Mom texted and just asked if I was coming home for winter break." Magnus's fingers tightened around his. Alec had nearly thrown his phone down the hall when he received the message the previous day, furious at his mother's audacity and the fact that she hadn't even asked how he was doing before demanding to know what his plans were.

"What did you say?" Isabelle asked, packing up Magnus's clothes with far more care than Jace.

"I haven't responded yet. I don't know what to say. honestly. I don't really want to go home and deal with her for a month, but it's not like I can stay on campus - the dorms are all closed."

"I already told you, Alexander, you can stay with me," Magnus reminded him.

"I know, I know, but you'll be going into your last semester. I can't ask you to do that for me when you should be focusing on your thesis and post-grad and everything," Alec said, staring down at their entwined fingers.

"Alec, there is literally nothing in the world that I wouldn't do for you, whether you ask me or not," Magnus pointed out. "And nothing would make me happier than spending a uninterrupted month with you, especially after all this."

"Stop being a little bitch, Alec, and get laid every day," Jace called out, zipping the duffel shut.

Alec rolled his eyes and focused on Magnus. "Are you sure?" he asked softly.

"Never been more sure of anything in my life," Magnus murmured, brushing a lock of hair off Alec's forehead. Alec smiled at him and leaned in to steal a kiss.

"I think we've got everything, boys," Izzy announced as she exited the bathroom carrying Magnus's toiletries bag. She smiled at both of them as she slid it into the duffel bag holding the senior's clothes. "Ready to get out of here?"

"You know it," Alec responded fervently. He pushed himself to his feet, reaching out to Jace to take his bag as Izzy stuck her head out into the hall.

Jace rolled his eyes and shouldered both duffels. "Yeah right, bro," he scoffed. Alec flipped him off before leaning into his boyfriend when Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec's waist, brushing a kiss over the back of his neck.

"Be nice, darling," Magnus murmured, pulling away as Izzy stepped back into the room, followed by one of the nurses. She quickly checked them over one final time, removed the leads for their heart monitoring, and held her hand out for their nasal cannulas.

"You guys are free," she told them with a grin as Magnus dropped the tubing into her grip.

"Finally," Alec muttered. Magnus pinched his side.

"You sure you don't want help getting out of here?" she asked as she unplugged the cannulas from the oxygen and disposed of them.

"No offense, but being wheeled out of here is literally the last thing that I want right now," Alec told her honestly.

"We can manage," Magnus added kindly, "but thank you, for everything."

"Of course," she said, handing them each a copy of their discharge paperwork. "Take care of yourselves, guys, and stay out of trouble."

"We'll do our best," Magnus promised, smiling at her. Isabelle took the paperwork and slid it into her purse as the nurse walked out of the room.

"Let's go, boys," Isabelle announced with a big grin. Alec grabbed Magnus's hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing as they finally left the hospital room. They stopped at the front desk for a final thank you to the unit staff and to cut off their wristbands before making their way out of the hospital. Magnus had given Jace his car keys the previous day to drive them back to campus and they settled into their seats for the twenty-minute drive. Alec kept his gaze trained down on their hands, still entwined as Magnus's thumb brushed soothingly over his skin.

Alec's grip on Magnus's hand tightened as they pulled onto campus for the first time since the fire, his heart beating just a bit faster as they approached the arts building, but Jace pulled up at the far side of the senior townhouses, parking in the lot next to the library. "It's, um... the arts lot is still closed off," he explained awkwardly, turning the car off. Alec was almost relieved to hear this - he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to see the place where he and Magnus had almost lost their lives.

They all slid out of the car, Jace once again tossing their bags over his shoulder, and headed to the townhouse. Catarina burst into tears the second Magnus pushed open the front door, grabbing him and hugging him tightly. Tears glittered in Tessa's eyes as she reached for Alec, pulling him into a quick hug, and even Ragnor gruffly cleared his throat as he grasped Alec's hand and patted his arm.

"You're never allowed to be that bloody stupid again, you tosser," he told Magnus thickly when Cat released him and launched herself onto Alec.

"Yes, Alexander has already informed me of that fact, several times," Magnus replied wryly. Alec's heart once again twisted at the reminder of just how closely they'd all come to losing Magnus and he bit the inside of his cheek as he gazed at the older boy, surrounded by his friends and family.

"As thrilled as we all are at having you both back safe and sound, I'm sure you both could probably do with some rest," Jem commented softly, his eyes flicking between the two of them. Alec gave him a quick smile - Jem somehow never failed to see directly to the heart of any situation. Cat pulled away from Alec, wiping her eyes.

"Of course, yeah, of course," she murmured, sniffling. "But dinner tonight? Can we all get dinner together?"

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else," Magnus reassured her.

"We'll let our group know," Jace added as Izzy nodded.

"Okay good. Family dinner. No exceptions," Cat insisted, glaring at everyone.

"No exceptions. Now let Magnus and Alec relax," Jem repeated, catching Alec's eye and tilting his head towards Magnus's room.

"We'll see you guys all at dinner, yeah?" Alec said, reaching out to take their bags from Jace. His brother glared at him. "Seriously, I'm capable of carrying them the ten feet to Magnus's room, come on."

"I'll hold off on my 'I told you's until Wrayburn kicks your ass for not taking care of yourself," Jace told him with a sigh. Alec rolled his eyes and tossed the bags over his good shoulder.

"I'm not a total idiot, dude," he retorted as Magnus slid an arm around his waist.

They made another round of promises to have dinner tonight before Jem gently ushered them out of the room and into the hallway. Catarina and Isabelle had whipped through the room the day before, cleaning everything, doing laundry, and remaking the bed with a clean set of sheets, the fresh scent of the detergent still lingering lightly in the space. Alec breathed a sigh of relief when the door to Magnus's room closed behind them, tossing their bags onto the floor next to the desk and catching his boyfriend's hand as the senior switched on the salt lamp next to his bed. "Alexander?"

A lump rose in Alec's throat suddenly and he pulled Magnus against him, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face in the senior's hair. "I love you so much," Alec whispered hoarsely. He felt Magnus smile against his neck as his arms slid up Alec's back, gentle and careful as they neared his shoulder.

"I love you, too, my darling," Magnus murmured, his touch soothing. "We're safe now. We're okay."

"I'm never letting go of you, I hope you realize that," Alec told him.

Magnus chuckled as he pulled back just enough to reach up, brushing his fingers through Alec's hair. "That's exactly what I want," he teased softly. "Now, come on. As much as the dorm mattresses suck, they're marginally better than the hospital's and we'll need all the energy we can muster for that family dinner tonight." He reached over and pulled the shade over the window before turning back to Alec and dragging down the zipper of his sweatshirt. "I can see your mind working overtime, Alexander. It's time to breathe and relax," he added, pushing the sweatshirt off Alec's arms and onto the floor.

"How are you so calm?" Alec breathed, his voice tight as he yanked his t-shirt over his head and watched Magnus do the same.

"Because we're _alive_, Alexander," Magnus insisted, his eyes suddenly bright as his hands dug into Alec's hips. "We're _alive_ and we're healing and we're together and I just... I don't want to dwell on it. I can't because if I do, I'm terrified that it's going to drag me down - drag _both_ of us down. I can't let that happen because we have our entire lives ahead of us and I love you more than I ever imagined was possible." Alec's breath caught in his throat as Magnus dropped his face onto Alec's shoulder and curled into him. "I don't want this to define us."

"It doesn't - it won't, I swear," Alec mumbled into his hair. "Babe, I promise it won't. I just -"

"Can we just... get into bed?" Magnus pleaded, his face wan as he looked up at him. Alec could only nod dumbly, and a fleeting smile skated over Magnus's face before he pulled away, disappearing into his closet. Alec felt like his heart was cracking watching him walk away and he blinked furiously, staring down at the carpet until he regained control of himself. He shoved his jeans over his hips and kicked them over to join his shirt and sweatshirt against the wall. He sat down on the bed, clad only in his boxers, and sank his fingers into his hair.

His boyfriend was in front of him then, his hands curling around the back of Alec's neck. Alec sighed shakily as he pressed his forehead against Magnus's stomach, his hands coming to rest on the sides of Magnus's thighs, now bare save his own briefs. "Come on, love," Magnus murmured, the fingers of one hand brushing over the gauze still covering the back of his shoulder. "We haven't slept in the same bed in weeks and I've gotten to the point where I almost miss your little snores against my shoulder."

Alec abruptly pulled back and glared up at him. "I do _not_ snore," he retorted. Magnus smirked and pulled back the blanket, letting Alec grumpily shuffle in first as the senior made an admittedly adorable tiny snoring noise. "Oh, shut up and get in here."

His boyfriend grinned and slid under the covers, letting Alec immediately gather him into his arms. Magnus sighed when Alec pressed a kiss to his forehead and tangled their legs together beneath the blanket, his hand drifting comfortingly over Alec's arm.

"I'm sorry," Alec whispered. Magnus's fingers stilled on his skin. "You being here with me, safe and healthy, it just - it doesn't feel real. It feels like a dream, like I'm going to wake up and you'll still be in the ICU or we'll still be stuck in... in there, or you - I didn't find - you're -" His throat closed up and his fingers trembled against Magnus's back. His chest felt tight and the room was suddenly too cramped, stifling.

"Shh, Alexander, shh. I'm right here with you, and I always will be," Magnus promised, shifting in Alec's grip to press his forehead against Alec's, his hand curved around Alec's jaw. "We'll get through this, and we'll be stronger than ever. I'm going to be right by your side every step of the way."

"I might fuck it all up," Alec confessed.

"We both might," Magnus conceded. "We're young and we still have a lot to learn, and we've been to hell and back over the last few weeks. _But we came back_," he repeated, his fingertips pressing into Alec's skin and focusing him. "We've been through so much and I know we're going to figure it all out together. Okay?"

"Are you sure?" Alec asked, hating how small his voice sounded. His incredible boyfriend smiled softly at him, carding his fingers soothingly through Alec's hair.

"I'm sure enough for both of us, my darling."

* * *

The next morning, Alec sat bare-chested in the desk chair after his shower, wincing as Magnus stood behind him carefully patting his wound dry so he could rebandage it. "How does it look?"

"Fairly terrible, Alexander, I won't lie," the senior murmured. "It looks angry."

"It _feels_ angry," Alec muttered. Despite Magnus's insistence, he'd refused to wear the sling to dinner the previous night and ended up thoughtlessly jarring it a number of times on doors, his chair, and bumping into other people. His shoulder ached horribly today, hot and inflamed, twinging at the slightest movement.

Magnus said nothing, although Alec could practically feel his disapproval rolling over him in waves. He silently slathered the wound in the ointment that Wrayburn had given them before placing a square of gauze over it all and taping it into place. He stepped in front of Alec, gently easing his arm through a t-shirt and over his head with excruciating care, followed by one of Alec's ratty zip-up sweatshirts before reaching over to the bed and catching the sling.

"Absolutely no arguing, Alexander, not one word," Magnus snapped, his voice solid steel when Alec opened his mouth. "I wanted you to wear it last night, you refused, and you fucked your shoulder up. You're wearing it today or you're not going anywhere."

"I was just going to say thank you," Alec murmured, gazing up at him and reaching out with his uninjured arm to curl his hand around Magnus's hip. His boyfriend's gaze softened ever so slightly and he finished helping Alec into the sling without another word.

Alec pushed himself to his feet, his fingers just missing Magnus's arm as the senior stepped away to disappear into the closet. He stood in the middle of the bedroom, waiting until Magnus reemerged, sliding the last of his rings onto slim fingers. Alec reached out, his palm curving around Magnus's jaw and tugging him into a lingering kiss as his boyfriend's hands landed on his hips. Even with his arm caught between them, preventing him from pressing himself completely against Magnus like he wanted to do, he still felt more settled in that moment, their mouths moving together in the still quiet of the morning, than he had in weeks.

"Don't be mad at me," he whispered against Magnus's lips. His boyfriend sighed, a warm huff of air against his neck as he pulled Alec into a careful hug.

"I'm not mad at you," he said, the words muffled into Alec's skin.

"Yes, you are," Alec teased, his fingers sifting through the soft hair at the nape of Magnus's neck. He felt his boyfriend's lips curve into a gentle smile.

"I'm a little bit mad at you," the senior conceded. He leaned back to look up at Alec. "Sue me if I want you to heal up perfectly and quickly."

"I will. We'll get there." Magnus gave a noncommittal hum as he smoothed his fingers down the strap of the sling. "Do I have to yell at you like you yelled at me?"

"I didn't _yell_ at you," the senior quipped airily. "I just -"

"Spoke in a firm, commanding, and authoritative tone?"

"You know what, the next time I think about flirting with a cute football player, I'm just going to let him limp off across the quad and keep my mouth shut," Magnus said, sticking his tongue out and leaning down to dig his fingers into Alec's hamstring.

"Hey - asshole, ow!" Magnus smiled innocently up at him and grabbed his hand, threading their fingers together. He held their linked hands to his chest and reached up with his free hand to ruffle his fingers through Alec's hair.

"Come on, darling, let's get this over with."

"Such a brat," Alec muttered under his breath as Magnus held the door open for him.

"Good thing you love me, then, isn't it?" Magnus asked cheekily as they walked around the corner.

"I'm rethinking my stance."

"Lies!" Cat shouted from the kitchen.

"No one asked you!" Alec shouted back, stepping back to let Magnus open the front door to the townhouse. Cat popped her head out of the kitchen and winked at him.

"Where are you guys going?"

"We're just... going to go look." Alec squeezed Magnus's fingers at the tiny hitch in his voice. They'd decided last night to go and take a look at the ruined arts building before they had to return to classes the following Monday. Magnus had reasoned that the best way to get rid of the elephant in the room was to go stare it in the eyes. Alec privately didn't think that made any sense, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let his boyfriend visit the place where he'd nearly died alone.

Cat's eyes widened. "Do you want me to -"

"We'll be fine," Magnus reassured her. "We won't be long."

"Okay..." She scratched at the wall with one fingernail. "Oh! I could make cookies! Do you want cookies?"

"Always," Alec responded immediately. He glared down at Magnus's aborted chuckle. "What? Cat's cookies are great and the hospital food sucked."

"And just for that, Alec's going to get the biggest cookie," Cat announced before turning and disappearing back into the kitchen.

Alec leaned over, kissing away Magnus's eye-roll, before stepping out of the house and pulling his boyfriend with him. "Come on, babe. Let's go stare at your elephant."

They slowly sauntered through the senior housing, no hurry to their steps as they waited at the far gate for a group of freshmen to pass. They finally passed the small copse of trees hiding the building from their view. When Alec raised his eyes, he staggered against Magnus, his knees nearly buckling under him.

"Son of a _bitch_," he breathed, his eyes wide. Magnus's fingers were tight against his skin, his hand digging into Alec's forearm as they both stared up at the blackened twist of metal and brick. The parking lot was cordoned off, the only vehicles allowed were those of construction workers and a campus police car. In a daze, Alec and Magnus walked along the perimeter of the lot to the few benches situated on the far edge, their eyes raking over the building. Alec sat heavily, pulling Magnus down nearly into his lap. "It really _is_ ruined."

"You didn't believe Isabelle when she said that?" Magnus asked softly, leaning against Alec's side.

"I mean, let's be honest, Izzy has a tendency to exaggerate at times, but this..." Words abandoned him and he tightened his grip on Magnus's hand.

"It looks like the fourth floor is collapsed in. Some of the third too," Magnus murmured. Alec felt dizzy, as though he couldn't quite expand his lungs enough, and he ducked his head. The section of the third floor that had collapsed was two floors above the theatre, exactly where Alec had found Magnus. The senior curled against him, his hand slipping around the side of Alec's neck, pulling him in to press their foreheads together. "I was never afraid, you know."

"What?" Alec's voice was wrecked and he couldn't quite catch his breath.

"When I was in there. I wasn't afraid. Well, not exactly," he amended. Alec pulled back half an inch to frown in confusion at him. "I didn't want anyone to come looking for me, to put themselves in danger for me - even though I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you would, and you would find me. I wasn't afraid for me. The only thing that I was afraid of was losing you and the life we were building. I kept thinking about all the things I'd wanted us to do together - graduate, travel the world, be successful, fall more and more in love each day. I wanted to bring you to Broadway and take you to see your first show. I wanted to bring you to Paris and show you my favorite cafe, and to London to take you to my favorite pub. I wanted you to bring me to your home and introduce me to Max." Magnus reached up, a soft smile on his lips as he brushed away the tear streaking down Alec's cheek.

"Magnus -"

"I wasn't afraid for me, but I was terrified - _devastated_ \- at the idea of losing our future," his boyfriend continued. "But then you found me. You _saved_ me, again, just as you've saved me every single day since we met."

Alec pulled his hand from Magnus's grip and wrapped his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders, sniffling into his hair. "Are you fucking kidding me? _You're_ the one who saved _me_, baby," he whispered hoarsely. "God, I love you _so_ fucking much. I want all of that - I want you to take me to Broadway and to that cafe and the pub. I want to introduce you to Max - he's going to _love_ you. I want everything with you, I want a future together."

"We're going to make it happen, Alexander," Magnus promised him, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he gazed up at Alec. He brushed a sweet kiss over Alec's lips, pulling back just far enough to murmur, "We're going to have an epic love story for the ages, my darling."

Alec believed him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLANS ARE BEING MADE, Y'ALL. This one feels short to me, but as soon as I wrote the last night, it was like a sign got thrown up that that line was the last of the chapter and who am I to ignore signs?
> 
> If you're on Twitter, I'm @quill_and_ink0 - I'd love to hear from you. 😘
> 
> I adore you all, my eternal sweets! ❤️❤️❤️

Alec awoke in the middle of the night before their return to classes, gasping and drenched in a cold sweat. He shoved back the covers and stumbled out of bed, catching himself on the shelves next to the bed. His legs felt like they were made of rubber, wobbly beneath him and threatening to collapse at any moment. He fell to his hands and knees on the plush rug in the middle of Magnus's room as he struggled to catch his breath. A bright flare of pain lanced through his shoulder and he heard Magnus groggily call his name through the pounding of his pulse in his ears.

"Alec, what -? Alec!" Magnus quickly hopped out of the bed and dropped to his knees next to Alec, his hands cradling Alec's jaw as he urged him to look up. "Alec, what's going on? What's happening?"

Alec sucked in a sharp breath, his mind swimming as he blinked back the shimmer of tears in his eyes. He hung his head, pressing his forehead against Magnus's chest, and let his boyfriend slide careful arms around his back.

"Come on, darling, talk to me," Magnus pleaded, shifting closer and brushing his hand soothingly over Alec's back.

"I'm sorry," Alec choked out, his voice hoarse and raspy. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Yes, that's absolutely my greatest concern right now, how dare you," Magnus quipped dryly. He pulled back and tilted Alec's gaze up to meet his own. "Tell me what's going on."

"I just... it was just a bad dream, that's all. I'm sorry."

"A nightmare," Magnus supplied. Alec sighed and pushed himself off his hands to sit back, wincing as his shoulder flared again.

"It felt so real," Alec whispered, embarrassed at his reaction now that the haze of the dream had mostly cleared. He glanced away. His boyfriend reached over, hands spreading wide over Alec's thighs, settling and securing him.

"I know. I can imagine, but it's not, Alexander. We're okay," the senior murmured, giving Alec's legs a light squeeze. Alec wiped viciously at his eyes and looked away, his heart still pounding just a bit too hard.

"We almost weren't." Alec could barely make his voice audible, almost couldn't bear to speak the words that had terrified him since that night. The room fell silent around them, Magnus's hands still tight on Alec's legs. Finally, they slid up to catch and twist together with Alec's fingers.

"Come on, darling. Let's get back into bed," Magnus urged him, guiding him to his feet. He held Alec's grip as he sat back in the tangled covers, propped up against the pillows and gently pulling Alec against him. Alec sighed and settled into his boyfriend's embrace, pressing his face into the warm curve of Magnus's neck. "It's not real, my love. I promise you that."

"I know it's not," Alec whispered. "But it felt like it was and I just - I couldn't get out. I couldn't get you out, and no one was coming." Flashes of the nightmare flickered in front of his eyes - _clutching his boyfriend against his chest, the flames roaring and surrounding them, feeling Magnus sag and still in his arms, his breath searing and roasting in his lungs as the heat suffocated him_ \- and he squeezed his eyes shut, digging his fingers into Magnus's side.

"Shhh, darling, it's all right, we're both all right," Magnus murmured calmingly. His hand curled around the back of Alec's neck and he pressed his lips to Alec's forehead. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not allowed to," Alec insisted, arching against his boyfriend.

"The same goes for you, Alexander. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you," Magnus confessed, his fingers trembling against Alec's neck.

Alec hooked a leg over Magnus's, pinning him in place, and kissed the edge of his jaw. "I love you."

"I love _you_," Magnus said fervently, tightening his grip. Alec let his eyes slip shut again and forced himself to breathe deeply, letting the unique scent of his boyfriend's sandalwood shampoo surround him. After a few long moments, he finally began to relax, releasing the final vestiges of the nightmare, and he sighed heavily as he burrowed more firmly against Magnus. "You know, I've been thinking -"

"That's dangerous," Alec muttered against his boyfriend's chest, a brief smile skating across his lips when Magnus pinched his hip in retaliation.

"I've been thinking that we should see someone about... all of this." Alec frowned and pulled back.

"I'm not crazy," he retorted indignantly, laying back and staring up at the ceiling.

"Don't be a brat, therapy isn't just for 'crazy' people," Magnus responded. "Everyone can benefit from it. Mental health is just as important as your physical health, and you wouldn't decline physical therapy just because you think there are other people who are more seriously injured or whatever." He gave Alec a wry look. "Well... _you_ might, but you're an idiot like that." Alec rolled his eyes and flipped him off before his boyfriend reached out, brushing his fingers over the line of Alec's jaw and tilting his face back to meet his gaze. "We went through something incredibly traumatic, love. As much as we might want to insist we're perfectly fine, we're not and it's going to take time to recover from this, both mentally and physically."

"_You're_ fine," Alec pointed out, his throat tight. "Mentally, anyway," he added as his eyes danced over the bandage that Magnus still sported on his forehead, covering the stitched-up gash from the doorframe. His forehead creased in confusion when Magnus hesitated and looked down at his sweatpants. "Babe?"

"I'm not," Magnus finally whispered softly, giving him a tiny, sad smile.

Alec's heart shattered into a million pieces and he pushed himself back into a seated position, ignoring the ache in his shoulder. "What?"

"Just... bad dreams, anxiety when I think about going back to classes, walking near the arts building, dizzy spells - although those are related to the concussion, I know. That souped-up car revved its engine yesterday when we were walking to Taki's and it sounded like the flames before you found me. For a second, I thought I was back in there. I didn't want to worry you," the senior admitted, glancing down at the blankets. "I didn't want you to get distracted from your own recovery if you were concerned about me."

"Magnus, what the fuck," Alec sputtered. "You didn't want me to put off my recovery if I was worried about you, but that's exactly what you were doing to yourself?"

Magnus blinked and looked back up at him, his eyes wide. "I just want you to get better, Alec. I can worry about myself - I always have."

"Yeah, except I fucking haven't always been there. But now I am. I'm here and I'm always fucking concerned about you because you are _always_ my main concern," Alec retorted, irrationally angry at the realization that his boyfriend had been suffering in silence. "It's my job to worry about you, that's my inherent right in this relationship. You're not in this alone."

Magnus leaned over suddenly, cupping Alec's jaw as he tugged him into a breathtaking kiss. Alec's hands wrapped around his boyfriend's hips, tugging him into his lap, desperate for skin-to-skin contact when Magnus pulled away, his thumbs brushing over Alec's cheekbones as he rested their foreheads together. "I'm sorry," he murmured against Alec's lips. "I just didn't want you to worry -"

"I swear to God, if you use that excuse again, I'll fucking push you out of the bed," Alec vowed earnestly, his hands spreading wide over Magnus's back as he gazed up at his boyfriend. Magnus grinned and kissed him again.

"Duly noted." Alec tightened his grip and rolled onto his side, carrying Magnus with him, his boyfriend's leg still draped over his thigh. "Promise me you'll think about talking to someone?" Magnus whispered, his fingers sifting through Alec's hair.

"Only if you do too," Alec mumbled against Magnus's forehead.

"I promise."

They both settled back into the pillows, letting the silence of the late hour steal over them, but it was far later still when Alec finally closed his eyes and fell back into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Alec and Magnus returned to classes that Monday, fingers tightly linked as they stepped into the conference room in the library for their first writing class in three weeks. Professor Branwell glanced up as Magnus ushered Alec through the door and smiled broadly, his relief evident on his face as he strode across the room to them.

"Mr. Bane, Mr. Lightwood, _delighted_ to see you both back in class," Henry greeted them, grasping Magnus's hand and giving Alec's slinged elbow a faint squeeze. "How are you both feeling? All right?"

Alec shifted his arm in the sling, his breath slightly unsteady as his shoulder twinged. "Uh, yeah. Doing okay."

"We're on the mend," Magnus added, giving Alec's fingers a squeeze.

"I am truly thrilled to hear it," the professor responded sincerely. "Alec, I know we're meeting tomorrow to discuss your work and next semester's classes. Magnus, please feel free to reach out to schedule time to go over the assignments as well."

"Thank you, Professor, I will. And if it's all right, I'll take notes for this one today as well," Magnus said, tilting his head towards Alec. Alec rolled his eyes - they'd argued that morning again about Alec wearing his sling. Alec hadn't initially intended on wearing the sling, but slipped it on anyway without complaint when Magnus had held it up. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he was still a bit nervous about going out into the crowds of students in the academic buildings and the dining commons without the minor cover of protection after knocking into everyone and everything the other day.

"Of course, whatever you both need," Henry reassured them. "Grab a seat. We'll get going in just a moment."

Alec avoided his classmates' curious eyes as he and Magnus made their way to the two empty seats in the back corner of the room. He slid into one of the chairs, slouching down and picking at a fraying edge on his sling. Magnus reached over, his fingers carding gently through Alec's hair and a bemused smile on his face, as he sat down. "What's going through your head?" the senior asked, pulling his laptop out of his bag.

"People are staring," Alec mumbled under his breath.

"Probably because your boyfriend is devastatingly handsome," Magnus informed him. Alec threw a glare at him. Magnus grinned and ran his fingers up the strap of the sling, fixing a small section that had gotten tangled in the hood of Alec's sweatshirt. "Relax, darling. You know how the campus gossip grapevine goes. A week from now, they'll find something else to talk about when they realize we're not getting stuck in any other burning buildings."

"We better fucking not," Alec muttered irritably.

"Breathe, Cheekbones. We've got the end of the semester coming up. The last thing we need is a grumpy Alec," the senior teased.

"You've been hanging out too much with Jace and Izzy," Alec grumbled. "Now open up your damn computer and take notes since you forced me into this thing again."

"Of course I forced you into it. You made a face when you pulled your shirt on this morning."

"Did not."

"Did too.

"You're annoying."

"I love you too," Magnus whispered as the professor stood to begin class, giving Alec a wink. Alec rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a tiny smile. He attempted to take a few notes on a spare notepad at the beginning of class as Professor Branwell reviewed plot structure and outlines, huffing in irritation when Magnus reached over and plucked the pen out of his hand fifteen minutes in. Admittedly, this allowed Alec to participate in a rather lengthy and enthusiastic discussion about the pros and cons of detailed chapter outlines without worrying about trying to take notes throughout it, so perhaps it wasn't entirely a bad thing that Magnus wouldn't actually let him write anything down.

"You're welcome," the senior told him with a cheeky smile as Henry dismissed the class.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Are we still meeting everyone for lunch?"

"Are you kidding?" Alec asked incredulously. "Izzy would hunt us down if we skipped out. She's taking the whole 'family meals' thing a bit too seriously."

"You can't really blame her, darling, not after... everything," Magnus pointed out gently, catching his eye. Alec shifted in the sling and glanced away. He didn't want to think about _everything_.

"So... you're back."

The hair on the back of Alec's neck stood on end and he glared up at Camille as she stood in front of their seats. "Try not to sound so disappointed," he told her, pushing himself to his feet.

"I'm not disappointed, pretty boy. I'm quite remarkably apathetic to your 'miraculous' return," she responded airily.

"And yet, here you are, standing in front of us on our first day back, announcing that return," Magnus detailed as he stepped up to Alec's side.

"You burned down the arts building the week before our show," Camille said, arching an eyebrow at him. "Though I personally don't care, your return is somewhat of a momentous occasion."

"You say that like it was my fault, specifically, rather than the gas explosion that it was proven to be," Magnus reminded her carefully, placing a warning hand low on Alec's back.

"Yes. Convenient, wasn't it? You've expressed your distaste at sharing a stage with me quite explicitly throughout the semester," she mused, tapping one blood red nail on her chin. "Curious timing. It just... makes one wonder."

"We nearly died, you conniving bitch," Alec spat out furiously. "Magnus got trapped because he went to look for _you_ -"

"Alexander -" Magnus tried to interrupt, placing a steadying hand on Alec's chest to hold him at bay, but Alec wasn't finished yet.

"- so _kindly_ fuck off with the insinuations that he somehow managed to cause the building to blow up on purpose just so he didn't have to be onstage with _you_." Heart racing, Alec pulled away from Magnus and roughly pushed past Camille, ignoring the flare of pain in his shoulder as he shoved into her, storming out of the conference room. The building was suddenly suffocating, stifling, and he yanked open the zipper on his sweatshirt as he hurried out of the library, sucking in a deep breath of crisp fall air as he pulled open the main door and stumbled outside towards a picnic table.

"Alec!"

Magnus caught up to him, both of their bags swinging from his shoulder, a hand tight on Alec's hip as he tripped against the bench, steadying himself with a hand on the backrest. "I'm sorry," Alec gasped, and then he shook his head, spinning around and taking a determined step back towards the library. "Actually, no, I'm not. How fucking _dare_ she -"

"_Don't_ \- hey, darling, _breathe_," Magnus urged, gently pushing him down onto the bench before settling into a crouch in front of him, his hands smoothing over Alec's thighs. "This is nothing new for Camille. We know she's a jealous witch who will do and say anything to get her way, regardless of who she hurts in the process."

"But saying that _you_ caused all of that when you got stuck looking for her -"

"Doesn't surprise me in the slightest, Alec," Magnus insisted. "She's practically a professional at getting under people's skin. What her goal was with this particular interaction, I can't quite figure out, but suffice it to say she succeeded."

"I fucking _hate_ her," Alec muttered venomously, glaring at the front doors to the library, mentally daring Camille to waltz out of them.

"Join the club, love. We have cookies," Magnus quipped, giving Alec a small smile. He reached up with one hand and brushed his thumb over Alec's cheek. "Do you remember what you did to her during our first lunch together at the beginning of the semester, when she was trying to convince me to switch partners to work with her?"

Alec frowned. "What, pretended we couldn't hear her?"

"Exactly. We'll just employ that method now whenever we see her, rather than just when she wants something from us."

"What if you're in another show with her?" Alec mumbled, glancing away. "You'll have to talk with her then."

"If I ever have to work with her on another production, I'll be professional, but that will be the extent of it," Magnus promised vehemently. "She'll get nothing else from me because on a personal level, she doesn't exist to me. She is _nothing_."

Alec sighed and leaned into his boyfriend's touch. "I'm sorry I yelled at her," he murmured, hanging his head.

Magnus leaned in, pressing his lips to Alec's forehead. "I'm not," he confessed. Alec caught his eye and the senior gave him a small smirk. "I have to admit, it was really pretty attractive to see you get that angry and defensive on my behalf. Very caveman, but it apparently appealed to the caveman part of my brain too."

Alec grinned in spite of the situation and stole a quick kiss. "Then I promise to defend your virtue more often," he teased.

"Well, hopefully my virtue won't be in need of defending all that often, but if it is, I'm glad I can depend on you," Magnus joked, pulling Alec to his feet. "Come along, my darling. We're late for lunch and I'd rather not face the wrath of your sister on our first day back."

He refused to let Alec take his backpack back and laced their fingers together as they walked across campus to lunch. Alec's hand tightened around Magnus's as they passed the arts building, the construction vehicles toiling away, and he pointedly looked in the opposite direction. Magnus pressed against his side, tense and unsteady as they hurried just a bit quicker. _Maybe we do need to talk to someone about all this._

They made their way into the cafeteria, weaving their way through the throngs of students to pick up their lunches before heading to the far corner of the dining hall where Isabelle, Jace, Simon, Maia, Ragnor, and Catarina were all occupying their regular table.

"You're late," Izzy announced as they approached the table.

"Sincere apologies, my dear," Magnus supplied as he and Alec sat down. "We had a brief run-in with an unfortunate acquaintance after class."

"Soul-sucking bitch," Alec muttered, viciously biting into a French fry.

"Do I even want to know?" Cat demanded flatly, her eyes narrowing.

"Not at the moment, no," Magnus responded lightly, resting a hand on Alec's arm.

"How was your first class back?" Maia asked, glancing between them. "Other than the run-in, obviously."

"Magnus wouldn't let me write anything," Alec said immediately.

"Well, duh, you're wearing your sling," Simon pointed out.

"Yeah, but I didn't really need it."

"I doubt that," Izzy dismissed, swiping through her phone.

"He did need it. He made a face this morning getting dressed," Magnus interjected.

"Will you stop tattling on me? I didn't make a face!" Alec protested, glaring at his boyfriend.

"Literally no one believes you when you say that, you know," Cat informed him.

"No comments from the peanut gallery," he retorted.

"Alec, have you still not responded to Mom's text?" Izzy interrupted, waving her phone at him. "She keeps asking me what you're doing for winter break."

Alec threw his fry back onto his plate. "Son of a _bitch_, I don't -"

"We have plans," Magnus announced calmly, biting into a piece of chicken.

"- know what - wait, what?" Alec turned and stared at the senior, his face contorted in confusion. "We what now?"

"We have plans. For winter break."

"We do?!"

"Did I not tell you?" Magnus asked blandly. "Oh. My mistake." The silence at the table grew as Alec stared expectantly at him. Magnus finally glanced up. "What?"

"Are you seriously - God, you're going to drive me insane," Alec burst out exasperatedly, rubbing at his face. "Are you going to fucking tell me what it is we're supposedly doing?" He ground his teeth together as Magnus finished eating a cucumber slice and dabbed at the corner of his mouth with his napkin. His boyfriend looked over at him, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"We're going on a trip, Alexander. I'm taking you to New York City."


End file.
